To Win A War
by akiraflame-tumblr
Summary: Bellatrix decides to give the Dark Lord a hand and sends Hermione off somewhere unknown. As Hermione finds out, she's back at Hogwarts with the Marauders. Relationships bloom during her stay, but what about the war? Full Summary inside. COMPLETE! :
1. Prologue

AN: I don't own anything to do with HP. The snippets of the book are JK Rowling's and I don't use many of them, it'll be the most in the first chapter. This story takes place during book seven, but clearly will not follow the exact story line. This story will be a work in progress and I currently foresee it being a long story, so stick around if ya like it! The main pairing is Hermione/Remus because I'm a weirdo and see relationships where there aren't any. I was thinking of making this a Harry/Hermione because that is my favorite HP pairing, but I decided to change it up a little bit. So here ya go!

**Full Summary**: This story will mainly start after the Golden Trio has been captured by the Snatchers and handed to Bellatrix at Malfoy Manor in the 7th book. In order to hopefully get an upper hand, Bellatrix decides to try something new and get rid of Hermione for a while since Voldemort wants the pleasure of killing the trio. Bellatrix knows that without Hermione, Harry is at a disadvantage, giving the Dark Lord the upper hand. She decides that after torturing Hermione A LOT, that she will use a complex spell to send her somewhere unknown. Trouble is, Bellatrix isn't too sure where that is either. As Hermione finds out, it sends her back in time to the time Harry's parents are in school.

**Prologue ****– **Of Sorts

"Cissy, put the boys in the cellar! I want to have a conversation with this one, girl to girl." Bellatrix gave an evil cackle and Hermione watched fearfully as Harry and Ron were taken away. Not even a minute after the boys were taken, Hermione found herself writhing on the floor and Bellatrix used the Cruciatis curse on her over and over. At first, she tried to contain her screams but the pain became too much and her screams began to echo around the Manor.

"Let's have a little more fun, shall we Deary?" Bellatrix giggled with glee as she pinned Hermione down and cut the word Mudblood into her arm; Hermione's screams shattering the hearts of her friends trapped in the basement. Hermione couldn't stop the tears as they slowly fell down her cheeks. She felt certain that she was going to be killed, right there in the sitting room of Malfoy Manor. In front of Draco and his parents. She looked fearfully at Draco and met his wide eyes. His look gave Hermione a feeling that he didn't want this; any of it. He clearly was too scared and he shook his head ever so slightly at her tears. If she had the strength, she would've gasped. He didn't want her to die.

She remembered punching him in their third year, all the teasing and mockeries between them. It had all been him living up to his father; the desire to make him proud. Hermione gave him a faint smile; she had long ago forgiven him. A brief flash of relief went through his eyes and he looked away, around the room. Hermione couldn't help but think that maybe he would help save her, but doing so would endanger him more than he already was. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat; enough people had died…She closed her eyes in defeat and she knew Draco saw it on her face. She was giving up; preparing for her death that she was sure was coming.

The time felt like decades to Hermione and everything blurred. There was fighting and she could hear Harry and Ron dueling to hopefully rescue her as she laid there. She was pulled to her feet by Bellatrix and held by her hair with a knife at her throat for a moment before the chandelier fell. The pained brunette had watched Dobby unscrewing the heavy fixture with curiosity and fear. Would she be able to get out from under it in time? Bellatrix threw her forward as the fixture fell and Hermione did her best to run to Ron or Harry, stumbling on her way. Bellatrix recovered quickly and smirked when she saw Hermione alone, she hadn't quite reached Ron yet but she was close.

"Let's see how you two boys do without your dear sweet Mudblood, huh?" Bellatrix sent out an oddly colored stream of light from her wand. It seemed to move in slow motion towards Hermione in Harry and Ron's point of view and both ran forward to try and save her, but the spell hit her square in the back first.

Hermione let out a gasp of pain and blood suddenly began to run down her face and arms. The spell surrounded her like a net and with a _pop_! sound, she disappeared.

"No! Hermione!" Ron and Harry both yelled as they dashed forward to fight Bellatrix and find out what happened to their friend. Dobby quickly grabbed a hold of both of the boys and disapparated with them and the goblin. Bellatrix threw her knife as they began to disappear and laughed with glee that the spell had worked and she did her best to ignore the curiosity of where the girl had been sent to. She let out even more a cackle as the knife disappeared with the group of escapees.

_**(To Hermione)**_

The pain and fear of the torture she had endured was nothing compared to the spell Bellatrix used. It felt like her skin was being torn apart and from the blood she was seeing, it would appear to her that very well could be what was happening to her.

'_Please…just take me home…_' was all she could think as she fell through nothing. She began to see clouds, feel a cold and heavy rain beat down on her as she fell, and loud cheering. Then, someone flew past her on a broom, and another.

Turning, Hermione saw the Quidditch field coming closer and closer. She gathered what strength and air she had and let out a scream. Someone suddenly whooshed above her and dove to catch her and the last thing she saw was black hair.

Sorry it's so short! More coming soon! I'm making edits to this as I go, so keep checking back!


	2. Chapter 1  Where?

**A/N: I don't own HP. If I had, Remus wouldn't have died.**

**Chapter One:** Where?

The last thing one wants to regain consciousness to is pain and for Hermione, there was a lot of it. It seemed to strangle her, crushing her lungs and her throat. She let out a pained gasp for air which caused something on the edge of the bed she was laying on to jump up. She froze, fearing that whoever had been sitting next to her was a death eater and that if she opened her eyes she'd see Bellatrix still grinning like the lunatic she was. She tried to ignore the fear that began to build in her stomach and lungs, but it was suffocating her worse than the pain.

'_Okay, Hermione, calm down and think this through…_' she thought to herself. She forced herself to block out the pain and to remember what she had seen before passing out. Surely whatever she had seen before passing out had been a dream…there was no way that she could have gone from Malfoy Manor to the Hogwarts Quidditch field. It wasn't possible. If she had the strength to move, she would have pinched herself when she realized she was on a soft bed. The cotton sheets covering her were softer than the ones she had packed in her beaded bag for the tent her, Harry, and Ron had shared. The bed was obviously not the cot she had gotten used to sleeping on.

"Padfoot, get Madam Pomfrey! I think she's waking up!" Hermione heard a soft and somewhat hoarse voice call from beside her and feet pounding away from her. That voice had a somewhat familiar sound to it but Hermione couldn't place where she had heard it from before and what the difference between what she felt she knew it from and what it sounded like now. She couldn't help the frown that formed on her face as she thought about the name she had heard.

'_Wait…Padfoot was what Remus said they called Sirius when he was younger…I must be in some form of hallucination or intense dream…Sirius is gone…_' Hermione thought to herself. She let out a groan as her body throbbed in pain. '_Come on, Hermione, you're a Gryffindor! Open your damn eyes…_' she thought to herself and finally decided to open her eyes. What greeted her was one heck of a surprise. At the foot of her bed stood one teenage boy and she noticed that he looked a lot like Harry, except for the eyes. The boy in front of her had blue eyes behind the glasses. With a slight turn of her head-one that caused her more pain than the movement was probably worth-she noticed another teenager standing next to the Harry-look-a-like. She didn't recognize him; he had a mousey, somewhat pathetic look to him. Turning her head the other way with another groan of pain revealed who she figured had been sitting on the bed next to her. He had slightly long sandy-blonde hair and his blue eyes held a tired, yet mischievious look.

Hermione's brain suddenly realized who she was surrounded by and shock registered on her face. She was looking at a younger Remus Lupin. Ignoring her pain, she sat up abruptly causing the three teens to jump and stare at her. The Harry-look-alike was James Potter and since she remembered being told Sirius had been a charming and confident young man, she had to venture a guess that the mousey boy was Peter Pettigrew. Not to mention that she had heard Padfoot run to get Madam Pomfrey before she had opened her eyes. She glanced back at Remus and studied him closely. His face held a youthful look that she would have longed to see on his future self, no scars, no signs of the dark future he had ahead of him. She thought he was quite handsome and had to physically shake her head to clear that ridiculous thought out. She leaned back on her arms and nearly screamed when her muscles and open wounds cried out from their injuries. She whimpered loudly, wrapping her arms around herself gingerly. Remus stepped towards her then with a look of concern on his face. He opened his mouth to say something to her but was interrupted as Sirius came jogging back with Madam Pomfrey a step behind him. She shooed the boys out of her way, which caused a look to pass over Remus' face, something Hermione noticed. She also noticed how he cautiously walked around to the other side of the bed and studied her with a curious look on his face.

When Madam Pomfrey moved her arm to inspect the bandages and Hermione gave another whimper, he reached cautiously out towards her, like he was going to hold her hand. He stopped before he touched her though, the bandages running down her arm and around her hand probably scared him she figured. Maybe he was worried he'd hurt her by touching her.

_**(Remus's views)**_

Remus couldn't get the injured girl out of his head. The entire time she had been asleep in the Hospital Wing, he had a rough time leaving her. Something about her and her injuries puzzled him. He couldn't seem to get her out of his head, which had never happened before. He went to classes and tried to focus on the lessons, but he couldn't get her bandaged face out of his mind. Of course his friends had noticed his lack of attention and quickly put two and two together. They had been teasing him nonstop since. When he had heard her give a small gasp for air, he felt his stomach tighten. If she truly was waking up, he could finally try and figure out the puzzle. He hated not understanding what was going on in his head.

He found himself trying to glance at her injuries when he was alone, to try and figure out how bad they were and how she could have gotten them. James had been the one to save her during her fall and from what James had told him, it appeared that she had some form of deep gash on almost every limb of her body. Judging by the number of bandages she was wrapped in, he wouldn't be surprised if that were true.

When she woke up, Remus couldn't help but feel startled by it. She hadn't woken up in a few days and he suppose he had gotten to used to her being unconscious and unmoving on the bed next to him. Remus had been standing beside her bed trying to formulate the best way to ask her the questions the four Marauders were desperately wanting answers to, but all form of thought had died the minute she had turned her chocolate eyes on him.

He had found himself oddly lost in their darkness for a moment and when she seemed shocked to see him he wondered if they had met before. She seemed to recognize him in some way, although he had never seen her before. Aside from the bruising and bandages, she was really pretty and Remus felt his cheeks warm slightly at the thought.

'_Stop it, Moony, you just met the girl! Well, actually, you haven't fully met her yet…but anyways. She's injured, the last thing she'll want is some monster crushing on her…_'

'_I am NOT crushing on her!'_ He argued with himself before sighing. Remus was extremely tempted to offer his hand for her to hold, though he wasn't too sure on why. He liked standing close to her, it allowed him to get a whiff of her scent. '_Vanilla…_' he closed his eyes briefly as the smell wafted in to his nose and his stomach knotted again.

When Madam Pomfrey ushed him out of the way he lost her scent and frowned. He found himself irritated by the lack of her scent. He cautiously walked around James, who he could feel was watching his every move with that stupid smirk on his face, and stood on her other side. Hearing the girl in front of him give another small whimper in pain made him reach out to her, to comfort her. '_With all those bandages on her hand, it may hurt her if you touch them…Besides, why would she want a monster like you to comfort her?_' he thought to himself and quickly pulled his hand back.

_**(Hermione)**_

"Good morning, Dear. How are you feeling?" Madam Pomfrey asked and she continued to check bandages. It was at that moment that Hermione noticed how many bandages she really had on. Her forehead was wrapped, both her arms were all the way to her fingers, one ankle, and around her ribs. She thought she was the beginning of a mummy and almost grinned at the thought of it. It seemed the very act of grinning was painful, so she quickly stopped and answered the medi-witch.

"Sore…very sore."

"What on earth happened to you that you're so cut up?" Madam Pomfrey had been astonished to see all the wounds and their severity, add to that that this injured girl just fell out of the sky during a quidditch match made the case even more suspicious. Hermione glanced at the four teens around her and finally took in Sirius. There was no doubt that the confident and charming young man beside James was Sirius Black and her heart sank at the memories of his future self. However, the young man in front of her was very full of life and freedom. He gave her a smirk and winked at her, causing her cheeks to redden slightly. Hermione shook her head and thought about how to reply to the Healer beside her.

'_I can't exactly tell her "oh I'm from the future and was sent here by some crazy ass lunatic, becoming incredibly injured in the process. Say can I have some tea?_' Hermione thought to herself before shaking her head at Madam Pomfrey

"I'm afraid I can't answer that right now, would it be possible for me to speak to the Headmaster?" Madam Pomfrey nodded her head and offered three potions to Hermione, who drank them quickly without caring what they did.

"Those potions will help heal the last of the wounds, numb the pain, and speed your recovery. I expect you will be fully healed by tonight or tomorrow morning. I must warn you though…there appears to be some form of dark magic on the…um…wound on your arm. It will most likely leave a scar…" Hermione looked at her right arm, knowing the 'wound' Pomfrey was talking about was the word _Mudblood_ Bellatrix had carved into her skin. She couldn't help the tears that formed at the thought of walking around the rest of her life with that scar.

Remus saw the tears and gently placed his hand on hers, ignoring his inner thoughts and the sound of Sirius and James snickering. Hermione met his eyes and they stared at each other for what seemed like a long while, but was most likely only a short moment, both lost in their own thoughts.

"Alright boys, leave her be so that she can rest. They haven't left your side since Mr. Potter here caught you during the quidditch game three days ago," Madam Pomfrey said as she walked away, presumably to get Dumbledore as Hermione asked.

"Three days? I was out for three days?" '_I have to get to Dumbledore and have him send me home! Harry needs my help!_' Hermione shot off the bed with the intentions of getting to Dumbledore's office but her bandaged ankle did not permit her to get far. Her knees buckled from lack of use and her injured ankle pained under her weight causing her to collapse forward into Remus, who caught her and eased her back on to the bed.

"With the wounds you had, we thought you were dead or soon to be. Our curiosity is has been peaked by your sudden appearance in the sky and your injuries. You can tell us what happened," James said as he leaned close to her from where he stood.

"Yeah, we won't tell anyone." Peter piped up from beside Hermione.

"You looked like you had been in a battle from how dirty and bloody you were! Were you in a fight?" Sirius asked while flashing her a charming smile that she supposed was to make her gush about everything at the sight of. She gave a sigh at Sirius's charm. '_I've missed that smile…_' She could feel Remus tense and back away from her when she sighed and she looked up at him curiously. He had a brief look of jealousy to Sirius before he blinked and his eyes filled with concern for her again.

"I did save your life, you know? Telling us what happened would even up the playing field," James suggested with a grin. Hermione sat silently on the bed doing her best to ignore the Marauders around her.

"Boys, I said to leave her be!" Madam Pomfrey yelled from across the room. James, Sirius, and Peter groaned and left Hermione with Remus. She looked curiously at Remus as he sat beside her on the bed.

"I'm sorry about my friends, I promise they mean well…" Remus mumbled, avoiding her eyes. Hermione smiled and lightly touched his hand.

"I understand. I can't thank you or your friends enough for saving me and staying by me while I was out of it…Thank you so much," Hermione almost said his name but quickly caught herself as she realized no one had said it in front of her yet.

"Ah, sorry I'm Remus. Remus Lupin, and those three are James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew," he smiled sheepishly. Hermione quickly thought of what to tell him her name was, whether or not to come up with one or if using her real name would be okay. Problem with coming up with a new name is that if he used the Marauders map when she was around, it would tell him her real name. Not to mention that she'd have to remember that name and respond to it. He'd find out regardless thanks to his blasted map, she assumed so she went ahead and replied:

"I'm Hermione Granger…Um, if you don't mind me asking this silly question…what year is it?" Remus smiled at her name and found himself thinking it was a rather pretty name and it fit her very well; he found her to be rather…beautiful, strange, but beautiful…and thinking so made him blush and look away from her. When she asked the year, he looked at her oddly.

"It's September, 1977." Hermione's eyes widened. She hadn't even been born yet, maybe not even thought of.

"Oh right, of c…" Hermione began, trying to hide the fact that she hadn't a clue about it before she was interrupted.

"Mr. Lupin, if you don't mind…I'd like to speak with our new guest for a moment. I'm sure Madam Pomfrey would allow you to come back after I leave to continue chatting with your new friend. She might even let you stay with Miss Granger for the night if she needs to. However, if I may have a few moments of her time," Remus shot off the bed and spun to look at Dumbledore who had approached silently behind them. A twinkle in his eye made Remus think the Headmaster had many things up his sleeve, which Remus knew was true the number of times Dumbledore had known things without asking.

"Of course, Professor Dumbledore! I'll come back, Hermione…that is, if you…don't mind of course…?" Remus felt himself nervous while asking this and felt a flutter in his chest as the girl in front of him smiled brightly.

"I'll see you then, Remus." Remus smiled back at her and almost jumped for joy at her response, instead he quickly dashed out of the Hospital Wing.

"Miss Granger, it would appear that the future is not very bright now, is it?" Dumbledore asked as he sat on the bed beside her.

"I'm afraid not, Professor. Should…Should I tell you what is going on or…no, that's against the law isn't it?"

"I only care to know how you got here, is all." Dumbledore asked, although the look on his face told Hermione that he already knew.

"It was a spell, Professor. One I've never seen…or felt, for that matter, ever before. How is it possible that she, the caster, was able to send me back twenty years?" Hermione asked, a hint of fear at the memories of the torture and the pain she had experienced lacing through her voice as she asked it.

"I fear that it was a very strong piece of dark magic. To be honest, Miss Granger, I believe you are the first person to have survived through the spell. There is no telling how long it may last or where it will send you when you return…but until then, I'm afraid there isn't a way to counter act it. There is a bunk set up for you in Gryffindor Tower. Until the time comes, just carry on as if everything is normal."

"But Professor, how will I return? Will I just disappear and will it be painful? How did the spell take me from Ma…from where I was and bring me here, to Hogwarts? Logically speaking, it should have only taken me back to this time but the same place I was, correct? So why here? And for how long I will be here, what is my cover story on how I arrived and how I was injured?"

"I cannot say how you will return. Most likely you'll just disappear, much like disapparating and I don't believe it would be painful. As far as why you're here, perhaps the spell used a place you longed to be or a place you spent most of your time. I'm sure you're clever enough, Miss Granger, to figure out a story of your own. Just remember, telling people what may come would alter the future. However painful it may be to grow close to people who may or may not be living in your time, you must not tell them when or how they die and who is to blame. If you did so, it may very well keep you from meeting your friends…" Dumbledore replied before turning and walking away. Madam Pomfrey opened the Hospital Wing doors and Remus walked back in.

"Oh and one more thing, Miss Granger, fate has an odd way of putting the people we love in our paths. Just because the circumstances are…extremely different and the future is, as you know, unpredictable, don't turn away the one emotion that could very well save you. If it comes into your life, no matter the age or time difference, accept it." Dumbledore said, turning back to face her and Remus. His eyes twinkled at the two of them and he nodded, "just the ramblings of an old man. Welcome to the Gryffindor family and Hogwarts, Miss Granger," he added with a smile and walked away.

After a moment of silence, Remus turned to look at her with a bright smile.

"You're staying? And in Gryffindor?" Hermione nodded and couldn't help but smile when she saw his. Not to mention the flutter of butterflies in her stomach at the sight of his handsome face and the smile he was giving her.

"I am."

"That's great! I'm in Gryffindor also!"

"Alright, Miss Granger. Those potions should have kicked in long before now. Let's remove those bandages and get you off to bed," Madam Pomfrey interrupted. Remus stepped back and watched as Hermione's arm was unwrapped to reveal the scar Hermione had been upset about it. He gasped in shock when his eyes saw the word _Mudblood_ carved into her skin.

'_Who would carve that word in to anybody's skin?_' he thought.


	3. Chapter 2  Explaining

**A/N: I still don't own anything HP related. If I did, I wouldn't be updating my stories at 3 or 4am at one of my two jobs that I have to pay my bills. I would also hurry up and complete Pottermore, since everytime I want to get on there it says it is still down. What's taking so long? **

**My Thanks To**:

**Smithback** – Thank you! I know, I absolutely love Remus and his character is so easy to use in stories =^_^=

**LK-HoGwArTs-hEaDgIrL – **Thank you, I am so glad you are enjoying this! :D

**Jen103** – Thank you! I promise to keep updating as much as I can!

**claire96 – **I know! I hate having to wait for updates too! I will do my best to keep updating despite classes resuming soon! I have so many ideas on where this could go so I hope it lives up to your expectations!

Oh I just love the reviews I'm getting! Thank you all so much! :D Anyways, on to the next chapter!

**Chapter Two** – Explaining (_September 1977_)

Hermione froze when Remus gasped and Madam Pomfrey quickly turned around on him.

"Behind the curtain, Mr. Lupin!" Remus couldn't remove his eyes from the word on her arm and backed away slowly. He finally looked up and met Hermione's tear filled eyes before stepping behind the curtain. Hermione couldn't stop the tears or the heavy sobs that wracked through her body; she had gone so long facing death and fear that she hadn't had time to cry or scream like she so desperately needed sometimes.

"There, there, Miss Granger. We'll get rid of that scar in no time. Don't you worry about Mr Lupin, he's a kind young man, he won't tell anyone what he saw nor will he judge you for it either. Such a foul word to cut into someone…" Madam Pomfrey said as comfortingly as she could. When the last of the bandages were removed, Madam Pomfrey pulled aside the curtains and walked away, leaving Hermione and Remus alone. Hermione's sobs became more fierce at the idea of having to explain anything to the innocent young man before her.

Remus approached her slowly and sank beside her on the bed. He gingerly reached over to her and ran his fingers down her arm, the same arm Bellatrix had gleefully carved. His finger tips seemed to ignite at the touch and he pulled away quickly. Hermione's tear filled eyes quickly looked up at him and he could see a flicker of hurt pass through her eyes.

'_Way to go, Moony…hurt her feelings even more…'_ Remus mentally chastised as he watched as Hermione's sobs grew fiercer from the hurt. _'Hold her you moron!_' he yelled at himself. He quickly pulled her to him and held her while she cried, mumbling what little comfort he could give. After a long while of crying, Hermione's tears stopped and she found herself half laying on Remus, her head on his chest.

Remus was doing his best to ignore what his senses were picking up but the smell of her hair and perfume was filling his nose, making him feel intoxicated by the sweet smell of vanilla and the faintest hint of spearmint toothpaste; her warm breath tickled his neck and the smoothness of her skin made his finger tips feel like they were on fire….Okay, he wasn't doing a good job of ignoring his heightened senses, he admitted to himself. His blue eyes glanced down to Hermione's face as she snuggled into his body, putting her forehead in the crook of his neck. A curl fell across her face and Remus nervously used his free hand to lightly brush the curl away from her face. She looked up at him, with a faint smile on her pale face, and when he brushed his thumb lightly over her cheek, she closed her eyes and sighed happily.

'_What are you doing, Hermione? This is your professor!' _she thought to herself, trying to ignore the tightening in her chest and the butterflies in her stomach.

'_I think you mean EX-professor, and he's currently not the same man from 1997. He's currently my age'_ she thought again, correcting her previous thought. Remus was having his own battle of thoughts, mostly consisting of how he could already feel a slight attachment for the beautiful girl laying against him, how he doubted she'd continue to be this comfortable with him if she knew what he really was, and how lucky he was to be in this situation at the moment. He found himself thinking about how he wished this moment wouldn't end.

"R-Remus…if…if I tell you what happened...can you…will you….not tell your friends? Please? Or perhaps…not tell them all of it? I don't want everyone to know…they think they're safe…that they're safe here…" Hermione hid her face in his neck, mumbling the last part.

"What do you mean safe here? Hogwarts is the safest place in Britain, probably even the world!" Remus couldn't keep the anxiety, nerves, and slight anger from his voice. He didn't dare move though, he wasn't ready for the closeness between them to end. He feared his slight outburst had already ruined it but to his surprise, Hermione didn't budge.

"It is…I'm sorry, you're right…" Hermione quickly corrected, not wanting to let Remus think that could change like it had in her time. Hermione did some quick calculations in her head. Knowing that Harry's parents were murdered by Voldemort in 1981 and his complete rise to power was sometime in the later part of the 70's, possibly even right now, Remus must have heard of him by now, so she quickly came up with a story and continued. "The world outside here…it's not as safe as everyone thinks…You see, I went to a school in a different country…and Lord Voldemort has been collecting more followers everywhere. My friends and I, well we've been fighting back. I went out on my own…I know it was a horrible idea, but it was just to get some fresh air, I'd been doing so much research. Well I was caught by some of his followers…"

"Death Eaters…" Remus mumbled, a hint of fear in his voice as he said it and as he heard her say Voldemort's name openly. '_Is that how she became so injured? She got in a fight with Death Eaters? I knew those weren't normal wounds…and her arm…perhaps one of those maniacs did that to her. It'd certainly fit their personalities to do such a thing…_' Remus thought and he felt himself pull her slightly closer to him, a sudden desire to protect her taking over him. _'What are you doing, Moony?_'

"Yes…Death Eaters…a group of them caught me and when they found out my parents were Muggles…well a long story short, they tortured me because of that. One of them…she was a real nasty one , you see? She…she's the one who cut the _Mudblood_ in to my arm. She said such…awful things to me…" Hermione took a shakey breath and continued, "anyways, I was able to break free from her and disapparate but she hit me with a spell as I did. I couldn't focus and was splinched during my apparition. I somehow ended up here…" Hermione finished, not daring to move her face from Remus's neck. Her story wasn't a complete lie and she hoped that speaking so much of what was to come didn't come back and bite her in the arse at some point.

Remus sat up quickly causing Hermione to fall back on to the bed, her face flashing fear and surprise.

"You're telling me that you've been fighting You-Know-Who's army? How? With who? You have to tell me everything now!" Remus was astonished that such a girl had been fighting the darkest wizard alive and somewhat humiliated that she was doing so while he sat comfy and safe in school. Then it dawned on him that she had said her parents were muggles, "you're a muggle born?"

"I…I can't tell you anything more than that, I'm sorry Remus…it's for your own good. No, no don't look at me like that…" Hermione sat up on her knees on the bed and placed her hands on either side of his face. He leaned into her hand, giving her an apologetic look. "You must understand, Remus, what you're learning here will help you out there…Don't be upset that you're here and safe. I'd rather fight for everyone's safety…your safety…Your turn will come when you can fight to save everyone's lives…my life…" Hermione whispered the last part, her eyes searching Remus's before they flickered down to Remus's lips.

'_What are you doing, Hermione? Stop it!_' Hermione shook her head and leaned away from him, missing the look of hurt Remus wore.

Hermione remembered his last question and sighed. "Yes, I'm a muggle born…Is that a problem?" She felt her stomach knot at the question. Future Remus had no problems with her "dirty blood" status, surely his younger self wouldn't either.

"What? No! Never! I was just surprised and curious…A good friend of mine and James's girlfriend is a muggle born…" Remus quickly replied and Hermione smiled softly at him and the mention of Lily. Suddenly the Hospital Wing doors shot open and a voice yelled, "hey Moony! Come on, it's dinner time!" Remus and Hermione put more distance between them; Remus giving a nervous chuckle and ringing his hands at the solemn moment they had just had, Hermione sighing-whether it was in relief or not she didn't know-both were blushing slightly.

"Prongs, I think we interrupted a very special moment here…continue, Moony, we don't mind." Sirius joked, enjoying how red Remus's face was becoming.

"Yeah, give her a big ol' kiss!" Peter interjected. Remus glared at the other Marauders before glancing nervously at Hermione. She had a hold of his hand and was looking at it and blushing.

"I'll uh…I'llbringyousomedinner…" Remus quickly said. Hermione was used to Ron's nervous chatter and understood him, despite how rushed it was. James, Sirius, and Peter exited the Hospital Wing and waited for Remus right outside the doors. Remus began to walk away, but he stopped when Hermione didn't let go of his hand. He turned to face her again, his stomach knotting up in nerves as he watched her chew on her bottom lip and look at the floor. Remus stepped towards her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. Both of them felt an electric shock go through their bodies from the contact.

'_WHY ON EARTH DID I DO THAT? Oh no, she is going to flip out on me and never want to see me again…_' Remus quickly stepped back, ashamed and prepared to make a quick apology and run for it. He stopped when he saw the small and somewhat goofy smile forming on Hermione's bright red face. He smiled nervously at her. _'She…did she like it? Oh Merlin…_' Hermione squeezed his hand slightly and he gave a nervous chuckle.

"I'll be back soon…I promise." Hermione looked up at him and smiled, let go of his hand and watched as he left, occasionally glancing back at her.


	4. Chapter 3 Finding Out

**AN: Pay attention to the years in italics, it'll save you from any possible confusion. Enjoy! :D**

**Chapter Three** – Finding Out

_**(To Harry and Ron, early 1998)**_

Harry, Ron, and Griphook made it safely to Shell Cottage at the cost of poor Dobby's life. Bill and Fleur quickly took to caring for Mr. Ollivander and Griphook before sitting down with Harry and Ron at their small table. They all sat in silence for a moment before Bill cleared his throat.

"Can I atleast find out what happened…where is Hermione?" Ron and Harry looked at each other in somber silence.

"We were caught by snatchers and taken to Bellatrix. She tortured Hermione, Bill! You should have seen….should have seen her face!" Ron slammed his fist on to the table, his voice wavering with concern and anger.

"Bellatrix used some sort of spell…One I've never heard of. It hit her in the back…and it was like it cut her open…she started losing a lot of blood. Then she just…disappeared. Like she disapparated…" Harry finished quietly.

"What are we going to do, Harry? We can't possibly keep going without her…there's no way we can find and take care of the last of everything…" Ron said, panic beginning to show on his face.

"We'll wait here for a little while, Ron. We need to get information from Mr. Ollivander and Griphook…maybe she'll find her way here. Is that alright with you, Bill? Fleur?" Harry asked, looking at the newlyweds. He was scared for Hermione. She was like his sister…to hear her screams and see her disappear was unravelling his attempts to stay strong.

"Of course you can stay. Get rested up and eat. I must ask if I can atleast let Mum know that you two are alive...Please, Ron, say yes…She needs to know…" Bill implored as Fleur grasped one of his hands in her smaller ones. Ron and Harry looked between each other before giving a nod. Bill got up quickly and disappeared in to another room. Harry and Ron heard him talking in code.

"The lightning and thunder have struck, I repeat the lightning and thunder have struck. Sadly, the rain is missing. It's logic was beaten and abused, forced somewhere unknown. I repeat, the rain is missing. Our hearts are desperate, the land is missing its much needed rain."

_**(To Remus and Molly Weasley, early 1998)**_

"Remus! Everyone! It's Bill! Listen!" Molly, Remus, Tonks, and the rest of the Weasley's (minus Ginny, who was at Hogwarts) all huddled on the couches and listened to Bill's voice crackling through the room.

"_The lightning and thunder have struck, I repeat the lightning and thunder have struck._" "Oh thank goodness! Harry and Ron are safe with Bill!" Molly cried out as tears formed in her eyes. A few smiles appeared on everyone's faces, but they were quickly dashed when they heard the next part. "_Sadly, the rain is missing. It's logic was beaten and abused, forced somewhere unknown. I repeat, the rain is missing. Our hearts are desperate, the land is missing its much needed rain." _The room was silent. Tonks looked up at Remus. The hurt and distraught look on his face suddenly made everything clear to her.

"They tortured her…and she's missing…Oh no. Dear, sweet, Hermione…" Molly began to cry, hugging Arthur close to her. Remus's heart plummeted. His chest hurt immensely and he felt that he couldn't breathe. He suddenly felt like his heart had shattered. Hermione…his Hermione…tortured? He couldn't bare to think about it and felt a deep hatred forming in his stomach. He'd kill them. He'd find out who tortured her, and he'd kill them…He felt tears burning behind his eyes and quickly blinked them away.

Tonks stood up and grabbed his arm and pulled him into another room. Remus sighed in frustration, "Tonks, I'm sorry. I don't have the strength to tell you again…I can't be with you…I can't marry you...I can't give you what you deserve."

"I know…I see that now…I don't know how she came to be so important to you, Remus, and that's okay. You don't have to tell me. I'm sorry I asked you about it so much…and I'm sorry to hear about what has happened to her. She's a very bright and strong witch. She'll put up a fight and she'll come back to you…I know she will. Stay strong okay, Remus?" Remus stared at Tonks wide eyed, surprised at how easily she was taking this. His face fell as he thought of Hermione, where ever she was…Tonks interrupted his thoughts with a pat on his shoulder before she left him alone.

Remus stood alone in the kitchen and cried silently thinking of Hermione, his heart breaking more by the minute. He had officially lost everyone from his youth…James, Lily, Sirius, Hermione, and yes Peter as well. '_You're acting like she's dead, Moony. We don't know that yet…'_ he thought to himself. He was suddenly distracted from the pain in his chest by an intense burning around his left hand's ring finger. He rubbed the skin, doing his best to ignore the pain. This odd burning had happened many times in the past twenty years.

Remus suddenly felt a pull on his body, much like apparating and closed his eyes. Just as quickly as the weird feeling started, it stopped and he opened his eyes at the sound of cackling.

_"Cissy, put the boys in the cellar! I want to have a conversation with this one, girl to girl." _Remus couldn't believe his eyes. A very dirty and oddly looking Harry, followed by Ron, was being pushed in his direction, through his body and down the stairs. His eyes immediately went to Hermione. Her hair was matted and her forehead and jaw were bruised with a few cuts and a split lip. Remus looked at who was holding her and growled when he saw it was Greyback who held her tightly to him, smelling her hair with a look of hunger as Bellatrix stood close enough to touch noses with her. He watched helpless, being nothing more than a spirit of some sort in the memory, as Bellatrix used to Cruciatus curse on Hermione several times. He collapsed to his knees as he watched her twitching violently on the floor. His heart swelled slightly as he watched Hermione bite her tongue to contain her screams but after the fifth time her screams came shattering through the silence of the Manor, shattering his heart more.

'_Be strong, Hermione. I'll find you…I'll save you. I promise.'_ He watched as Bellatrix grew bored. _"Let's have a little more fun, shall we Deary?" Bellatrix giggled with glee as she pinned Hermione down and cut the word Mudblood into her arm._ Remus began to feel phyiscally ill as he watched Hermione writhing in pain from the knife, her screams becoming piercing. He even noticed the Malfoys were cringing at the sight. He watched as Hermione lay on the floor crying softly, her eyes unfocused. Remus found himself crawling to her, tears of his own forming at the sight of her arm. It was like she was branded. He remembered seeing her for the first time in the hospital wing back when he was in school. The sight of the word scarred into her flesh had terrified and sickened him at the same time.

He had started to put the pieces together in his mind when he became her teacher during her third year when he saw her name on his enrollment forms. He at first thought it was a coincidence, thinking that maybe someone liked the name as much as his Hermione's muggle parents had, or perhaps they knew of how valiant his Hermione had been in 1979 and 1981. However, when he first laid eyes on her he noticed how amazingly like his Hermione she looked and a few pieces of the puzzle came together, though he wasn't sure if his theories were correct since no one that he knew of had ever travelled twenty years in to the past. Seeing her here with the beginnings of the wounds she had when he first saw her, he placed the last few pieces together and smiled sadly. She would be going back to 1977 sometime soon. Perhaps that was why she was missing now.

"Remus? Arthur, help me please! Remus, come on, up you stand." Remus looked down at Hermione but saw the wood floor of the Burrow in front of him instead. He was on his knees in the kitchen with Molly and Arthur on either side of him. "What happened, Remus? Are you alright?" Molly's voice was heavy with concern. Arthur managed to help pull the werewolf in to a chair and her and Molly immediately sat beside him.

"I saw her…saw them. Harry, Ron, and Hermione…it was like I was looking in a pensieve, at her memory…but how could I when I haven't been given the memory itself?" Remus looked between Arthur and Molly in confusion. The two looked concerned and worried.

"I don't know, Remus…I didn't think that was possible unless you are skilled at Legilimency…Are you skilled at it?" Arthur asked. Remus shook his head, "atleast I don't think I am, Arthur…I've never been able to do that before…"

"Well…what did you see?" Molly asked. Remus sighed and told them everything, fear and sadness hanging on his every word. Molly started crying to hear about Bellatrix carving that word in to her skin. Arthur patted Molly's hand to offer what comfort he could, though he seemed almost as upset about it as his wife did.

"We mustn't worry, you two. Our Hermione is a strong young lady, she'll be okay. We should all get some rest." Arthur said as he stood. He put his hand on Remus's shoulder before helping his wife stand up and walk her out of the room.

_**(Back to Hermione, 1977 into 1978)**_

Hermione was delighted to see Remus keep his promise as he returned with a platter full of food. She stared at the amount of food and looked at him incredously, "you can't possibly think that I'll be able to eat all that!"

"You've been out cold for three days, I think you'll be surprised by how hungry you are. And besides, I was hoping to eat some of it with you," he said with a smile and he joined her on the bed and they ate in silence.

"Miss Granger, you can go on to your room now. I don't think it'll be necessary for you to stay here tonight. Dumbledore has given you the spare Gryffindor prefect room, Remus can show you where it is. Good night, Miss Granger. If you have any issues, don't hesitate to come to me," Madam Pomfrey said from the entrance to her office across the wing. Hermione knew where the spare room was, she had seen it during her time as a prefect her fifth year but she waited on Remus to finish eating so that they could leave.

Remus and her walked in a comfortable silence to the prefect rooms and he motioned to the spare room, "the password should still be licorice snaps." Remus said quietly to her and the portrait swung open with ease. Remus grinned at her, "goodnight, Miss Granger."

"Good night, Mr Lupin," she replied to him with a smirk. Remus walked away calmly until he heard the portrait close and he began running through the halls letting out a celebratory 'Woohoo!" He felt very excited to be around the young woman and she had certainly seemed open to him while they chatted over food. She seemed to be a very interesting person and they had a lot in common so far. He kept the thought about how she would act if she knew the truth about him and stayed focused on how amazing it had been to be alone with her.


	5. Chapter 4  Pranks and Birthdays

A/N: I still don't own anything HP related. All thanks to JKR for coming up with the series and bringing a new wave of imagination to the world.

**Chapter Four – **Pranks and Birthdays

(_Hermione, 1978_)

Months had gone by in a blur and Hermione had begun to fit right in with the Marauders. It was almost like she had been at the school with them their entire time at Hogwarts and her and Lily became fast friends, often staying up late chatting and joking in Lily's Head Girl bedroom or in Hermione's own room. All four of the Marauders and Lily spent many nights a week in Hermione's room, scheming pranks to pull on Slytherins or on Filch. Hermione enjoyed spending time with them and found Sirius and James to be a lot like Harry and Ron. Quidditch lovers and procrastinators. She even found herself enjoying being around Peter Pettigrew, though she always found herself wondering how he went from being the quiet and jumpy young man he was at that moment to being a traitor to the friends who defended him and helped him with his homework.

"Aw, come on Hermione! I just need help with the essay…I'll make it up to you, I swear!" Sirius whined as he sat on the floor across from her in her room. He gave her a wink as he said he'd make the work up to her and she rolled her eyes at his flirting. She had been reading her book on the couch, but his insistence for help on his homework made her look up and glare at him.

"It's not my fault you didn't do your homework, Sirius Black. You still have a couple of days to finish it if you hurry up and do so instead of sitting there and whining," Hermione replied before returning to reading her book. She had already finished all of her homework for the week and was relaxing on the couch next to Remus, who was tired and sore from the full moon that had been a few days back. Hermione glanced at him and smiled softly when he met her gaze. He still hadn't told Hermione about his "furry little problem" as it was constantly called by Prongs and Padfoot and the guilt was eating away at him.

"Oh, Hermione, you are going to love Potions tomorrow!" James said with a grin. Sirius looked at James and both started laughing hysterically.

"Why's that? Did you four scheme a plan without me?" Hermione asked with a chuckle. Remus sat up slightly, smiled mischieviously at her, and nodded with the other three. "I can't believe you four left me out of the loop on a plan!" Hermione couldn't help but feel left out. She hadn't helped with many pranks, only a small handful of them that consisted swapping a Slytherin's wand with a Zonko's product or releasing a few stink pellets in the hall way behind Lucious Malfoy. She did enjoy helping plan out their bigger pranks, though she was never able to see or partake in them due to her class schedule.

"We left you out on purpose, Beautiful!" Sirius replied with a wink. Hermione saw Remus tense at his friends flirting and she released a quiet sigh. She couldn't deny the growing feelings she had for the young man next to her, although she doubted he returned them. Remus looked at her curiously when he heard her sigh and gave her a concerned look when she met his eyes. '_Damn him and his werewolf hearing…_' Hermione thought to herself as she gave him a reassuring smile. Sirius watched the two and smiled. He could tell the two cared about each other, he just wished the two would hurry up and admit it to themselves and each other.

"Your birthday is tomorrow isn't it?" Remus asked quietly and Hermione's eyes widened. She quickly looked at the calendar on the wall behind her.

"Oh, so it is…I forgot…"

"You forgot when your birthday is? I knew we should have gotten you out of the books sooner!" James cried out and Hermione gave a sigh.

"I didn't forget _when_ it was, I just didn't realize it was tomorrow…I thought it was still next week…"

"Well, our beautiful girl, it is tomorrow and we planned you a gift!" Sirius said with a smirk at Remus, who was frowning at him for flirting with her again.

_'Relax, Moony. You have no reason to be so jealous…Its not like you stand a chance at getting her. Not compared to Sirius at least.._' Remus sighed and looked at the fire roaring in the corner of the room.

"Yeah, it'll be the best birthday gift you can get from us!" James started but was interrupted by Lily.

"James Harold Potter, if anyone gets hurt tomorrow I swear I will…" Lily began, anger quickly building in her, even more so when James interrupted her.

"My darling, beautiful, and intelligent Lily Evans, no one is going to get hurt. At least, not physically. Maybe their pride and egos…but those are easy to repair. Calm down, you'll love it too," James said laying his head lovingly against Lily's leg seeing that she was sitting in the plush armchair and him on the floor in front of her. Lily's anger softened with all the compliments, "as long as no one gets hurt, James…" she said as she ran her hand through his messy black hair. James grinned at Sirius and mouthed '_see?_' Sirius busted out laughing again as Lily smacked James playfully upside the head.

"Giving me compliments doesn't get you completely out of the dog house, Potter…" Lily said with a threatening tone.

"Why is James in the dog house? I thought that's where Sirius belonged since he is a dog…" Peter asked, completely forgetting that Hermione hadn't been informed of their animangus abilities. Remus sat up quickly and shot Peter a glare before glancing cautiously at Hermione, who pretended to be reading her book and not listening. When Remus saw how involved she was with her book, he smiled and was happy to know she hadn't heard them. Remus sat back against the couch slowly, his muscles and fresh injuries causing him immense pain against the couch. He tried adjusting to see if that would help; it didn't.

Hermione watched over the top of her book as he winced while adjusting. She pulled the pillow out from behind her and placed it on her other side so that it was between her and Remus. Remus saw this and thought of it as a boundary and wondered if he had accidentally touched her or worse if he had done something to anger her enough that she didn't want him near her. His worries were silenced when Hermione reached over to him and pulled him carefully towards her.

"Lay against me and the pillow, see if that helps you feel better," she mumbled. He did as she said, adjusting the pillow so that his head was in her lap and he found his injuries didn't hurt nearly as bad but he felt bad for taking up the whole couch. His guilt was silenced as Hermione ran her free hand, the one not holding her book, through his hair before draping it over his chest.

The other Marauders and Lily sat and stared at the two, each giving each other sly grins. James opened his mouth to say something but Lily quickly flicked the back of his head and he silenced. Sirius, of course, did not.

"So, when are you two gonna make it official and announce to everyone your undying love for each other?" Sirius asked, breaking the silence in the room. Hermione stared at him in shock and quickly hid her blushing face deep in the pages of her book. Remus glared at Sirius, who just chuckled at the look.

"We haven't talked about that yet, Sirius…" Remus mumbled without thinking in to the pillow. Hermione looked down at him in surprise. Surprise he even considered it, let alone with her. Remus's eyes shot open as he realized what he had said. The two stared at each other in surprise before looking away and blushing.

"Alright, it's time for a Lily Evans intervention. Forgive me for being so blunt but Remus," Lily looked at Remus intently for a moment and he looked at her curiously, "do you like Hermione? Would you consider dating her?" Remus froze and stared at her in shock. Hermione mirrored his look to Lily before glancing down at him. He stayed as still as he could and closed his eyes in defeat.

"I…I don't know…" He replied. He felt Hermione tense under him and looked up at her. She chewed on her bottom lip, hurt and rejection on her face.

"What the hell, Moony? Why deny it?" Sirius called out and the group looked at Hermione, who was trying to contain the hurt. Remus immediately regretted his answer and sat up to look at her, ignoring his hurting joints.

"I'm sorry…yes, I…I like her. I would totally date her…I can understand if she wouldn't want to with me…I know I'm…not an ideal guy…" Hermione looked at him in shock, the tears she had almost cried still brimming in her eyes.

"Why wouldn't you be an ideal guy, Remus?" Hermione found herself asking without thinking but she continued, "you're smart, funny, handsome, and an all around great guy. You're loyal to your friends and reliable…any girl would be lucky to have you," Hermione whispered and Remus couldn't help the shock he was feeling. Or the goofy grin on his face.

"I think I have my answer, but Hermione…do you like Remus? Would you consider dating him?" Lily asked with a smile.

"I…I do like him…and I would be honored to date him…" Hermione replied, holding Remus's gaze. She felt proud of her Gryffindor bravery as Remus's grin grew.

"Well go on already, kiss your gal, Moony!" Sirius cheered and as the couple leaned in to kiss for the first time, he let out another cheer. The room silenced as Hermione and Remus leaned in closer, their breath mixing with the other's. Hermione licked her dry lips nervously and Remus let out a low growl at the sight. Their noses touched and Hermione's eyes flickered shut as their lips met briefly. The other Marauders and Lily gave a cheer and Sirius whistled. Remus and Hermione looked at each other briefly before kissing again, this time with more fire behind it.

"It's about damn time…Even Dumbledore asked us when you two going to make it official," Sirius mumbled and watched as the new couple seperated and Remus laid back down on her lap, sighed, and closed his eyes, his fingers intertwining with Hermione's.

"Well you two might want to make it official in front of the school soon, Moony…I saw some Slytherins taking good, long looks at your gal. You wouldn't want one of them to try anything on her, would you?" Sirius joked, earning a growl from the werewolf.

Hermione pretended to look surprised at the growl and quickly ran her hand through his hair to calm him. Remus realized what he had done and muttered "stupid, brainless Slytherins…" causing everyone in the room to smile and chuckle.

(_The next day_)

Hermione, Lily, and the Marauders all headed down to the dungeons for Potions class in the afternoon and, much to Hermione's dismay, any questions she asked about what was to happen went unanswered. Remus had been holding her hand tightly the entire day and kept whispering sweet nothings and birthday wishes in her ear.

"You'll see, dearest Hermione! It'll make your birthday so much better!" Sirius shot the couple a grin and opened the door to the potions classroom for the group. Professor Slughorn started the lesson shortly after the group all sat down and they split up into partners to make the potion for the day, a love potion. When they had finished Hermione smelled the potion and sighed.

"What does it smell like to you?" Remus asked, watching her carefully. He was doing his best to ignore the sweet smell of the potion and watched her smile.

"Like…freshly mowed grass…parchment….and chocolate…" Hermione looked up at Remus, trying to contain how the smells affected her. '_It smells like Remus…_' she thought to herself. "What…what does it smell like to you?" Remus looked at her briefly and could feel his face flush.

"Umm…vanilla…books…and mint toothpaste…" Remus mumbled as his blush became redder. Hermione stared at him for a moment before smiling. "It smells like you do, Hermione…"

"Hey you two! Glad you're together and all but you're gonna miss out on your birthday gift if you keep talkin back there…" Sirius whispered. Shortly after he whispered that, an explosion went off from the Slytherin side of the room and they all looked over there. James and Sirius secretly high fived and Remus laughed softly into Hermione's hair. The smoke cleared and Hermione's mouth dropped open as the Slytherin's came in to sight. Their skin had been tie-dyed red and gold and their hair had become like a fiber optic lamp, the ends changing colors randomly. They're hair all suddenly lit up brightly and popping sounds, much like fireworks, began to sound from their side of the room.

"Happy Birthday, Mione…" Remus whispered between laughs in her ear, sending a shiver down Hermione's spine. She let out a laugh as the Slytherins, including Snape, all ran out of the room in a panic.


	6. Chapter 5  Hogsmeade and Truth

**A/N: Still don't own HP.**

**Chapter Five** – Hogsmead Visits and Truth

"Hurry up! I'm craving Honeydukes!" Sirius jogged ahead of them, slipping briefly in the snow. The other three Marauders jogged to catch up, leaving Lily and Hermione by themselves.

"I can't go…I didn't get a permission slip signed…" Hermione mumbled and Lily froze and looked at her.

"I didn't even think about that!" She said before whistling for the guys to stop. They ignored her, being too busy pushing each other around in the snow and having snowball fights.

"No, no you go on ahead and go, I'm feeling rather tired so I'll just hang back here and study some before going to bed early…You guys go on ahead and have fun, okay?" Lily looked at Hermione doubtfully.

"I'll stay with you, we'll just let the boys have some fun. We can make it a girl's day in the dorm, how's that sound?"

"Lily, really. I'll be fine! Besides, James has his heart set on you two going to lunch together…Go on," Hermione pushed Lily toward the guys, who were still unaware that the girls hadn't joined them yet. Lily sighed and nodded before jogging to meet up with the boys. Hermione sighed and went back into the castle.

_**(Remus)**_

"Hey babe…where's Hermione?" James asked as he hugged his girlfriend.

"She didn't have a signed permission slip, so she can't join us…"

"Who cares? We have the map and James's invisibility cloak! Go get her and we'll sneak her out!" Sirius said, turning to look back at the doors to see if Hermione was still there watching them, she wasn't. Remus looked as well and frowned.

"No, she said she is feeling pretty tired…I think she might be getting sick…She said for us to go ahead and have fun…" Lily sighed and hugged James tightly. James and Sirius looked between each other and sighed. The three began to walk towards Hogsmeade, leaving Remus to stand by himself.

"You coming, Moony?" Sirius called over his shoulder.

"No, I don't think so…I'm gonna go check on Hermione," Remus yelled back before taking off back to the castle. The three Marauders and Lily watched the young man go back inside before they all sighed and resumed heading to Hogsmeade.

_**(Hermione)**_

Hermione couldn't contain the second sigh from escaping her body. This would have been the first time to visit Hogsmeade with the Marauders and it upset her deeply that she couldn't go. She began to walk around the castle aimlessly, she was lost in thought and not really seeing where she was going when she bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't…" she began and she stepped back and looked at who she had bumped into.

"Paying attention? Typical Gryffindor, walking around like you own the place…" her eyes widened when she met the eyes of Lucius Malfoy with Severus Snape behind him. They hadn't changed much from their seventeen-eighteen year old selves to their future selves. Both men glared at her before smirking.

"You're the smart one of that group of bumbling Gryffindors, aren't you? You should really find new friends…" Snape drawled out and Hermione had to keep herself from rolling her eyes.

"I'm quite content with the friends I currently have…" she started as she stepped away from them. Lucius grabbed a hold of her wrist painfully and pulled her back to him.

"Then you need to be introduced to more people," he said with a smirk. He eyed her petite body for a moment before smiling. "I'm Lucius Malfoy."

"Jean, it's a pleasure…now if you'll please release my wrist…" Hermione said, using her middle name instead of her first. Lucius smiled more and Hermione felt her stomach give a nausteating lurch.

"Now, now Jean…we only just met. You can't be desiring to leave already…I want to learn more about you…" Lucius leaned his head towards Hermione, who had to bite her tongue to keep from spitting in his face.

"I believe _my girlfriend_ asked you to let her go, Malfoy…" Hermione turned sharply and saw Remus walking up behind her, his wand in his hand.

"Remus, please…" she started but he ignored her and stopped beside her, wrapping his arm protectively around her shoulders.

"_Your_ girlfriend…Oh Jean, dear, you most definitely need to meet more people. You deserve so much better than…_him_…" Lucius tightened his hold on Hermione's wrist. She gave a huff and whipped her wand out and pointed it at him, which startled him.

"I am quite happy with the friends I have and I don't deserve Remus as a boyfriend; he's far too handsome and gentle for someone like _me_ to have. I am _honored_ to be able to call him my boyfriend. Now, if you'll please let me go, I'd like to go have lunch with Remus…" Lucius stared at the two for a moment and smirked. He let her go and the four backed away from each other.

"Come on, Remus, let's go get some lunch…" Hermione and Remus turned and began to walk away from the two Slytherins.

"_Stupefy_!" Lucious called out and Hermione spun to block it just as quickly. Her body was too used to being surprised and fighting for her life that she hadn't even thought about what she was doing. She fired a spell nonverbally a split second after blocking and it nailed Lucius in the chest, sending him back into the wall behind him. Remus and Severus stared at her in shock at her speed and the use of nonverbal magic.

"_Sectumsempra!_" Severus fired his own spell at Hermione, who quickly blocked that one as well while pushing Remus behind her. The two began to duel in the hallway and Remus was about to step in when foot steps came around the corner.

"What on Earth is going on over here? You two knock it off right now!" McGonagall yelled and sent a spell that seperated Hermione and Snape.

"She attacked Lucius, Professor!" Snape quickly said, flashing a smirk at Hermione.

"He attacked her first, Professor," Remus quickly defended.

"Detention for all of you Tuesday night with me and 20 points a piece from both houses…I expected better of you, Mr. Lupin, Miss Granger..." McGonagall gave the two a disappointed look and Hermione looked at the floor.

"Please, Professor, Remus had nothing to do with it. Please don't give him detention, he was just in the wrong place, at the wrong time," Hermione said with a hard elbow to Remus's ribs when he opened his mouth to argue with her.

"Very well…You four better go get food and I want you all to go straight to your rooms afterwards," McGonagall said with a stern look on her face and she watched as the four students left for the Great Hall.

"I didn't know you could perform nonverbal magic, Hermione. That's pretty difficult to do…" Remus held Hermione close to him as they entered the Great Hall. Hermione smiled at him and sat beside him.

"I've worked really hard to be able to do so…As you know, I was battling against Vold—" Hermione began but saw Remus stiffen at the name. She rolled her eyes and quickly changed it, "You-Know-Who and it pays to be able to do almost every spell nonverbally. When your used to being ambushed, speed at blocking and dueling really helps too…"

"Ah, right…I was very impressed with your speed as well. As were Snape and Malfoy, as you could tell…" Remus gave her a quick kiss and smiled at her, "proves to them that they shouldn't mess with my girl."

She smiled brightly at him and the two enjoyed their lunch in comfortable silence. The couple went to Hermione's room and spent the rest of the afternoon curled up in front of her fire. Hermione had her head rested on Remus's chest and the two read from the same book, relaxing into the each other's bodies and the couch. Hermione found herself more focused on the warm body she was leaning on instead of the book and began sneaking glances at Remus's face. She met his eyes almost every time she looked up at him and she smiled seductively. She kissed him softly and removed his hands from the book and dropped it to the floor with a _thunk_.

Remus smiled against her lips and kissed her back hungrily, moving one of his hands to her hip as the other tangled in her hair. Hermione leaned back and Remus followed until she was laying flat on the couch and Remus was on top of her, their kiss never breaking. They pulled apart desperate for air and Remus grinned wolfishly at her. He eyed her swollen lips, flushed face, and hooded eyes and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before kissing her jaw and making his way down her neck.

"You are so beautiful, Love…" Remus whispered in Hermione's ear and she shivered from the husky sound of his voice. He growled at the shiver and kissed her roughly. His hands ran down her arms and grazed over her breasts causing her to moan. Her hands tugged at his shirt, untucking it from his pants and her hands found their way under the fabric to touch his stomach and back.

The portrait opened suddenly and the two sprang apart, Remus falling to the floor and Hermione quickly fixing her clothes and sitting on the opposite end of the couch, picking up a book and quickly making it look like she was reading it and using it to hide her flushed face.

Sirius stood stock still at the entrance before cracking up at the disheveled and blushing couple. James, Peter, and Lily walked in and joined in.

"Whoops! Didn't mean to interrupt, you two…" Sirius quickly walked over to them and sat on the floor near the fire.

"We just wanted to bring you some sweets from Honeydukes…But it appears that you were getting a different kind of sweets, huh Moony?" James said between laughs as he sat on the floor in front of Lily, who sat in her armchair and Peter sat between Sirius and James. Remus glared at his friends and attempted to fix his shirt and hair.

"Hermione, how's the book?" Lily asked as she tried to contain her laughter.

"She wouldn't know! She's reading it upside down!" Peter pointed out and the group started cracking up all over again. Hermione felt her face redden more as she realized Peter was right. She slammed the book shut and set it back on the table beside her, facing the grinning faces of her friends and gave a glare. Remus cleared his throat and moved back on to the couch beside Hermione, wrapping his arm around her.

"So…what did _you_ two do while we were gone?" Sirius asked with a wink and Hermione gave a cough.

"We fought with Malfoy and Snape…" Remus said, hoping that the topic would change the topic.

"What? Really?" James sat up excitedly.

"Well, Hermione did…" Remus quickly told his friends what had happened with occasional looks at the brunette beside him.

"You got detention? With those slim balls?"

"Of course she did, Sirius! Dueling in the halls is against school rules…" Lily admonished and Sirius sighed.

"Those two started it though!"

"It doesn't matter who started it, Sirius, I still fought them…" Hermione mumbled as she bit into a piece of chocolate Remus had handed her.

"When do you have detention?"

"Tuesday night…" Hermione replied with a sigh.

_**(The Next Week)**_

Hermione had suffered through detention with Lucius and Severus, both of which had tried to make it as horrible as possible without angering McGonagall and while Hermione didn't let it show, their attempts had worked. She had been in a foul mood for the remaining of the week and buried herself in her studies instead of the Marauders pranks. The group made their way to the dungeon for Potions, the four Marauders making jokes the entire way. Hermione just smiled at them, not really feeling in a joking mood.

They had almost made it to the door when James spotted Snape. James being himself couldn't give up the opportunity to tease and mock the Slytherin, who returned the mockeries. Hermione and Lily tried to get James to stop before it got out of hand, but no such luck.

"What I don't understand is what two intelligent young ladies are doing hanging out with these brainless oafs. It must be frustrating for you two to have to deal with the childish manners and speech. If you two, Lily and Jean, would like to join a real, intellectual conversation, you should really hang out with me," Snape said as he reached for Hermione's arm. She did nothing to stop him; she didn't flinch or pull away. She just stared at him, thinking of a way to say what needed to be said to end this conversation without troubles and without angering her future professor.

Snape's hand was stopped short by Remus who had a snarl on his face as he stepped closer to Severus, "don't you DARE touch her." Severus stared at Remus for a moment before looking at Hermione incredulously. He snickered and looked around, noticing they were completely alone in the hallway. "You're telling me…that you two…I don't believe it!" Snape pulled his hand free from Remus's grasp and shoved past him to Hermione.

"How is it possible that you love this mangy werewolf? I suppose it fits that a filthy mudblood and a half breed beast…" Snape began but Sirius and James both tackled him. Lily dove to Snape's rescue, quickly and angrily shoving him down the hall, yelling at him to leave them. Snape did as Lily said, grinning at the look of shock and fear on Remus's face at the fact that he had revealed his secret. The four Marauders and Lily stared at Hermione, who backed away from Remus a couple steps and then froze. She was looking at his face, the look of fear and pain crossing it almost killed her. She so desperately wanted to run back to him, comfort him, smother him in kisses and tell him that she'd never leave him. Something in her heart told her he needed to get his fear vocalized, that he needed to get his insecurities out to her. If she stopped him, those insecurities and doubts could linger and she couldn't stand the thought of seeing that fear, those insecurities, in his eyes any longer than she already had.

She remained unmoving as Remus's face scrunched in pain; he looked like she had just punched him in the stomach. The Marauders all looked at Hermione, waiting and hoping that she'd tell him she didn't care…all were getting scared at the dull look Hermione had on her face. It was taking so much strength from her not to cry with Remus, to show how much she cared for him. Standing still was killing her and with every beat of her heart, she began to feel more depressed and lost, but she didn't budge.

"Hermione…I wanted to tell you…I swear…" Remus finally spoke as tears formed in his eyes. He took a slow, small step towards the curly haired brunette, his pain and fear showing strongly on his face as he took another step. James held tightly to Lily who began to cry quietly for the two in front of her. Sirius hid his face in his hands for a moment. He had hoped his friend had finally found a woman who accepted him…who would accept all of him, even the furry problem, and love him. Sirius had never seen Remus so happy and his newfound happiness seemed to even make his transformations a little less painful the past few months. Sirius removed his hands and saw that Remus had taken another step so that he was just barely out of arm's reach of Hermione. The look on his face upset the other Marauders as it showed that he was beginning to crumble, thinking the girl before him that he had come to love with all his heart now hated him.

"Hermione, please…say something…anything…I'll understand if you hate me. I'm a monster, why wouldn't you hate me…?" Remus froze as Hermione stepped towards him and he feared for a moment that she would walk past him and never speak to him again.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, I truly am…Please…" Remus wasn't too sure what he was asking of her but he felt that if he didn't keep begging, she'd walk away from him without a word. He'd rather being yelled at, spit on, anything but her ignoring him. Hermione kept her face and eyes devoid of any emotions as she looked into his heart broken eyes. She couldn't keep this up for much longer, her heart couldn't take the pain he was in and she began to feel cruel for making him wait this long to hear how she felt.

_'She's going to leave me…hate me for lying to her, for keeping this a secret…I'm a monster…I don't know what I'll do if she leaves me.' _ Remus thought to himself as tears ran down his cheeks. Hermione was close enough now that he could feel her breath on him. He closed his eyes as his nose picked up the smell of Hermione's scent that he loved vanilla, mixed with the smell of spearmint toothpaste and parchment. He found it strange that the smell of her toothpaste mixed with her other scents would be so intoxicating…and arousing…

Tears leaked from his eyes as he reopened them, "please Hermione…I can't take your silence anymore…I…I love you. Please say something," Remus's tear-filled eyes searched hers and he caught a glimpse of surprise at his admission of his feelings in her eyes. It gave him a small ray of hope that was quickly dashed when she raised her hand. He prepared for a slap; he figured he had it coming for lying to her, for hiding such a big thing from her. The other four all held their breath and watched. Sirius had been trying to come up with something to say to help his best friend out, but nothing would come out. They were all surprised when Hermione gently wiped some of his tears away before placing her hand on his cheek. She ran her thumb over the corner of his lips and her eyes faltered to them briefly. She looked back up at his eyes and smiled a loving smile that Remus knew he would never forget. She didn't say anything yet, just held his gaze and smiled. He felt exhilaration building in his body and he leaned his face into her hand, placing a soft kiss on her thumb.

"Remus…I don't care that you're a werewolf. To be honest, I was starting to put the pieces together this past month…how you were always gone at the full moon, how you were sore and cranky the days prior and after…I just wanted to hear it from you. You are not a monster, Remus John Lupin, far from it. You may turn into a werewolf every full moon, but that does not define who you are. You are a smart, devilishly handsome, and kind young man that I love with all my heart…" Hermione looked at Remus and waited for her words to sink in. It didn't take long for within a moment he let out a cheer and pressed his lips to hers in a searing kiss that seemed to light both their bodies on fire.

Sirius let out a cheer as well and ran to hug the kissing couple; he was quickly followed by James, Lily, and Peter. Lily squealed with delight and pulled Hermione to her in a bone crushing hug. Lily couldn't contain her tears and she held tightly to Hermione and then Remus, announcing how happy she was that they were together. The Marauders all held tightly to Hermione and Remus, their relief flooding out of them in cheers and tears.

"We better hurry, Potions will start soon…" Peter interrupted after glancing at the time. Remus pulled Hermione to him and held her tightly to him, placing kisses on her forehead, cheeks, and lips.

"Screw Potions, Peter, I'm going to take my girlfriend on a real date in Hogsmeade!" Remus hollered as he ran down the hall with a laughing Hermione.

"We can't just skip class Remus!" The other Marauders heard Hermione saying as the two disappeared down the corridor.

"I bet they're not gonna make it to that date…" Sirius said with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows. Lily laughed and punched him on the arm, "come on, let's get to class…" she said as she pulled James to her and they shared a quick kiss before entering the classroom.

Hermione and Remus ran to her room, "quick get changed, we're going to dinner!" Remus said before mumbling the password and guiding her in to her room. Their lips crashed into each other again and they began to back up to the bed, pulling off the other's clothes in the process. Hermione muttered a charm so that the door couldn't be opened by someone else and Remus quickly followed it with a silencing charm. Remus lifted Hermione easily on to the bed and stared down at her.

"You are so beautiful, Hermione…this seems to be happening really fast, doesn't it? We can stop if you…" Remus began but was interrupted by Hermione's lips.

"Yes, it is fast…but I love you," Hermione said between kisses. Remus lost all resolve there and began to kiss her back.

"I love you too, Hermione." He said before removing the last of their clothes. Hermione muttered a quick contraceptive charm with a smirk.

It was way past dark when Remus and Hermione finished their love making, both exhausted and sweaty from several rounds. Remus was watching as Hermione's eyes begin to droop and he smiled, "we never did get dinner…" he said, making Hermione laugh. He grabbed her left hand in his, mumbled his love for her, and went to kiss it and pull her from the bed so that they could eat, but a bright golden light stopped him. They both stared curiously as the light formed a small vine that wrapped around their hands, more specifically their ring fingers. When the light vanished, a small but still noticeable band remained on their ring fingers, like it was a tattoo of some sort.

They both stared at their fingers and then each other. Hermione was about to say something but the sound of their stomachs growling interrupted her.

"Let's go eat…remind me to look up what just happened in the library, Love." She said to Remus as they both got out of bed and got dressed. He chuckled.

"Of course, Love."


	7. Chapter 6 1998 and Answers

**A/N: I still don't own anything from HP. If I did, I would thoroughly bask in the glory behind it all. I also would've changed the entire 7****th**** book. It made me cry…I also would've wrote more about their future lives in the epilogue.**

**I felt that calling Hermione 'rain' fit her quite well. We know in the books that Harry is referred to as "lightning" before the Battle of Hogwarts and I couldn't remember if Ron or Hermione had code names so I went with Thunder for Ron, meaning his temper, and Rain for Hermione, because she is reasonable and caring, a calming force most of the time. I find rain to be very comforting so it fit her in my eyes. It would also just sound like a weather forecast on the radio if a Death Eater were to listen to it. ^_^**

On to the chapter…

**Chapter Six – **Helping and the Future

**(**_**Early 1998, Harry and Ron**_**)**

Remus sighed and looked at Shell Cottage ahead of him from the beach. He walked somberly to the cottage, dreading the talk he was going to have with the boys. If they were still here of course. He reached the door and knocked twice. Bill opened the door and both held their wands at each other.

"What was my job in 1993?"

"A Curse Breaker in the tombs of Egypt. You did that until 1995 when you got a desk job and met your wife for the first time," Remus replied quietly. They both lowered their wands and Bill moved aside so that Remus could enter. Remus sat quietly at the table, eating dinner with the rest. He kept glancing quietly at Ron and Harry and he noticed the changes the two had gown through. Neither were as joyous as they used to be, nor had they slept as well the dark bags under their eyes revealed. Jokes were few and far between at the table, unlike the last time he had seen them at the Burrow. Of course Hermione missing probably had a large part to do with that, the other part being that they were looking for the horcurxes. Remus remembered their conversation at Grimmauld Place, how Harry explained what the three were looking for.

Remus had asked to join them, almost begged them actually. He had refused to look at Hermione, his thoughts hating to think what he would do if something happened to her and he couldn't be there to protect her. Harry had yelled at him, thinking that he and Tonks were together and that Remus couldn't leave her behind. Remus had tried to correct him, to tell him that there was nothing between the two, but Harry had continued yelling and began to insult him. Remus had become angry, he couldn't help it…and he had left.

Bill and Fleur left the three alone in the kitchen and went on to bed, knowing that Remus wanted to talk to them. The three sat in silence for a while before Remus finally sat up with a sigh.

"How long are you two going to stay here?" He asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Until Hermione is found…" Harry said forcefully. Remus sucked in a breath and ran his hands over his face. He was tired from lack of sleep. It had been two days since Bill had announced that Hermione was missing and Remus hadn't slept much in those two days.

"What if…what if she doesn't come back?" Remus asked, regret and pain in his voice. Harry slammed his hand on the table.

"She will come back! Where ever they sent her, she'll find her way back!" Harry shouted, though Remus could see the worry and the doubt in Harry's eyes.

"She's Hermione, Remus. She HAS to come back…she's smart, she'll find her way…"Ron mumbled. Remus regretted what he had to ask next.

"Tell me…tell me what happened. Did you two leave her behind somewhere?" Remus saw the anger in Harry's eyes as he asked this and really regretted asking that.

"Of course not!" Harry stood as he yelled. Ron just looked at Remus like he was mental. Harry fisted his hands and paced for a moment before facing Remus again, confusion on his face. He sighed and told Remus about the spell.

"After she disappeared, we couldn't just stand there and ask what happened to her. Well, I wanted to but Dobby grabbed my hand and brought us here…" Harry sat down in his seat again and Remus wracked his brain for what kind of spell Bellatrix might have used. He couldn't think of one though.

"Hermione wouldn't want you two to wait here…you have a mission to complete…" Remus mumbled. Harry and Ron looked at the table.

"We wouldn't even know where to start on the remaining parts of it, Remus. Hermione's figured everything out for us…She almost always has been the brains behind our operations," Harry said with a smile and a small chuckle.

"We were planning on starting back on the mission in a week. It would give us time to heal and Hermione to find her way back…" Ron interrupted. Remus sighed and nodded.

"There's something I think you two should know…I think I know where Hermione is…" Harry and Ron sat up immediately.

"Where? We'll go get her!"

"Why didn't you say so earlier? If you know where she is, why haven't you gone to get her?" The two asked at the same time. Remus held his hands up.

"Because if I'm right, where she is…well it isn't easy to get to. Technically, I'm surprised she was able to get there at all…" The two continued to stare at him hopefully.

"She's….in 1977…" Remus mumbled. Harry and Ron stared at him dumfoundedly for a moment before Harry sat back, lost in thought.

"She went back twenty years? How is that even possible?" Ron asked. Remus nodded and shrugged in answer.

"1977…that's when you and my parents were in school, right?" Harry asked in awe of the situation. Remus smiled at the memories and nodded.

"Did…did you meet Hermione back then?" Ron asked and Remus nodded again.

"That…that must have confused the hell out of you when you met her again in our third year!" Harry said with a chuckle.

"It did. Do you still have that picture of the original Order of the Phoenix, Harry?" Remus asked, remembering that Sirius had given it to him. Harry nodded and pulled the picture out of his pocket. Remus had never looked at the picture, he just stood there with Hermione and his friends and when they took it, he had headed home. Remus took the picture from Harry and looked at it with a sad smile. His eyes fell on himself and the girl leaning against him, they looked happily. The woman in the picture though, looked nothing like Hermione. Remus laughed at loud and thought that she was a clever witch after all.

"This woman here…that's Hermione. You would have known that when you first saw this picture, but it appears that she had used some form of a Glamour charm on herself before this was taken…" Harry and Ron both looked at the picture, at the woman Remus pointed to. Harry noticed how the woman and the Remus in the picture kept looking at each other. At one point, the woman even put her left hand on Remus's chest. Harry saw something on her ring finger and looked at Remus with an astonished look on his face. Remus kept his eyes on the picture, refusing to look Harry in the eyes.

Harry looked at Remus's left hand and saw the faint lines of a tattoo wrapping around the older man's ring finger.

"Blimey…" was all Ron could say at the picture. Harry assumed that Ron hadn't seen the ring on her finger.

"There's a problem, you two. Hermione stayed in our time until 1981…I didn't know that she had disappeared because the spell brought her back to her own time…I assumed she had been killed…If she's sent back here, like I assume she will be, it could be years before that happens…The world can't wait for years for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to be destroyed, Harry…" the two young men in front of him became crestfallen again.

"I'm sorry to have told you two that, but I felt you needed to know. Take this week as a break, but I implore you that you must get back to your hunt after that…I must be going," Remus said as he stood. He walked out the front door quickly and Harry chased after him. Remus was almost to the point that he could apparate when he heard Harry running up to him.

"Tell me what happened when she was there, Remus! I SAW THE RING ON HER FINGER!" Harry yelled causing Remus to flinch.

"I didn't know what had happened back then, Harry. I didn't know who she really was…If I had known she would turn out to be almost 20 years younger than me, than I wouldn't have…I would've kept her away…" Remus replied as tears formed in his eyes. Harry remained silent for a moment.

"I'm not mad about what happened between you two, Remus. I'm actually quite happy for you two…Did you really propose to her?" Harry asked and Remus nodded, unable to speak. Harry smiled at the pained werewolf in front of him.

"That's amazing, Remus. If I may ask…I never noticed the mark on your left hand…what is that? Did it happen while you two were together? Is that a magic mark from marriage or something?" Harry asked while pointing to Remus's hand.

"Hermione and I could never figure out what it was…and believed me, she went crazy searching for the answer. It took me two months to convince her that we'd find out sometime…She almost missed our graduation ceremony from Hogwarts that day," Remus said with a laugh. Harry chuckled, imagining Hermione buried in books at the library while researching.

"I'm confused about what you two will do when she gets back, Remus…and I desperately want to know what happened while she was there…but she will come back. I'll make sure to tell you when she gets back…If you do really need to go, then do so." Harry told the tired werewolf standing in front of him. With a nod, Remus disapparated leaving a tired, but rejuvenated, Harry behind.


	8. Chapter 7 Graduation and Fights

**A/N: I still don't own HP, or the songs mentioned. I've been going through and editing this story, so if you've read it before now, you might want to go back through and reread the older chapters since I've added a lot more in details and action.**

**Chapter Seven** – Graduating and Love

Hermione gave a frustrated sigh as she closed her book and added it to the large stack beside her on the table in the library. She leaned back in her chair and could feel the kinks in her back from sitting for so long. Her body was still stiff from completing her N.E.W.T.S and her final exams for her classes.

"Hermione…you realize that we've got thirty minutes till our graduation ceremony right?" She looked up and met the smiling, but tired eyes of Remus. The full moon had been a few days earlier and Hermione had been upset that she couldn't spend the time with him. He had spent a couple nights each week since the incident with Snape and the odd tattoo forming sleeping with her in her room. She had been lonely sleeping alone the past few nights and was grateful that he could sleep with her that night after the ceremony and dance. Dumbledore had quickly thrown together a celebratory dance for the seventh years and even allowed students to go to Hogsmeade to buy outfits for the semi-formal event.

Remus eyed her hungrily as she sat in her blue formal dress, making her blush slightly. The dress looked a lot like her dress from her fourth year with Harry and Ron and she was pleased with it, and her hair. While her hair was hardly as bushy as it used to be, it was still difficult for her to manage. She had managed to straighten it and get it in a low bun. She looked him over and he turned slowly, showing off his thin but muscular body in his dress robes. She laughed quietly at his model poses and stood to kiss him.

"Still haven't found out what caused these?" Remus asked as he kissed her left hand. She gave another frustrated sigh.

"No and I think I've read every book in here…" Hermione glared at the shelves around them and Remus laughed.

"Come on, we'll figure it out some other time…We need to go to our graduation ceremony," Remus tapped the books with his wand and the stack separated and returned to their rightful places on the shelves. He grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her from the library and towards the Great Hall.

Dumbledore did his best to keep the graduation ceremony short and all the students could see his excitement at the idea of the dance. When the last seventh year cleared the small stage, he waved his hands and the tables all disappeared. Snack tables and small round tables appeared for everyone to sit at. The room darkened and music began to play from nowhere. Hermione smiled as she recognized the song playing as a muggle one. Remus laughed at the song and pulled Hermione to the dance floor, spinning her to the beat.

_Is anybody hungry?_

_Dark in the city night is a wire  
>Steam in the subway the earth is a fire<br>Woman you want me give me a sign  
>And catch me breathing even closer behind<br>_

Hermione gave a squeal as Remus dipped her and picked her up with a turn. She had always loved "Hungry Like the Wolf" when she was younger and Remus found the song ironic. He kept dancing with her to the beat and the couple laughed as they watched James and Lily, Sirius and some Ravenclaw girl, and Peter with some Hufflepuff girl were all dancing around them. James Sirius were excellent dancers, but Peter was stumbling a lot. The poor Hufflepuff girl was becoming frustrated with him. Hermione met Remus's eyes and smiled when he did. He began to sing along with the song and twirled Hermione again.__

_Stalked in the forest too close to hide  
>I'll be upon you by the moonlight side<br>High blood drumming on your skin it's so tight  
>You feel my heat I'm just a moment behind<em>

_In touch with the ground I'm on the hunt I'm after you_

_I smell like I sound, I'm lost and I'm found  
>And I'm hungry like the wolf<br>Strut on a line, it's discord and rhyme  
>I howl and I whine I'm after you<br>_

Hermione frowned when her eyes met Snape's from across the room; he was glaring at the four Marauders and their dates. The song soon ended and she and Remus kissed, both breathless from dancing.

"I'll go get us a drink, be right back…" Remus gave her another kiss and walked off. A slower song started and Hermione contemplated going to the table where James and Lily sat catching their breath and whispering. She was stopped when she heard Sirius behind her.

"May I have this dance, my beautiful friend?" Hermione turned and laughed as Sirius gave an exaggerated bow.

"I would be honored, Good Sir!" Sirius held her hand and put his other hand on her waist and the two began to slow dance.

_Feet don't fail me now  
>Take me to the finish-line<br>All my heart, it breaks every step that I take  
>But I'm hoping that the gates,<br>They'll tell me that you're mine.  
><em> 

Hermione sighed and Sirius gave a chuckle.

"I'm not that bad of company, am I?" He said with a smile and a wink.

"No! Not bad company at all, Sirius…"

"Good, cuz I've been hoping for a chance to talk to you…"

"Me? Why?" He slowly twirled her and continued to dance with her. He remained silent for a while, listening to the words of the song and Hermione looked at him curiously.

_Walking through the city streets  
>is it by mistake or design?<br>I feel so alone on a Friday night,  
>Can you make it feel like home, if I tell you you're<br>mine?  
>It's like I told you honey,<em>

_Don't make me sad, don't make me cry  
>Sometimes love is not enough when the road gets tough<br>I don't know why.  
>Keep making me laugh,<br>Let's go get high.  
>The road is long; we carry on<br>Try to have fun in the meantime_

__ "Remus really cares about you, Hermione…" Sirius said suddenly and Hermione looked at him in confusion.

"I know…" she started but was interrupted.

"I'm just worried about what you're going to do now…It's a dangerous world we're graduating into…"

"I know that, Sirius. It's been a dangerous world, you just have been kept safe and in the dark while in school…" Hermione couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice. How she longed for her seventh year to have gone as smoothly as it had for the Marauders. She used to wake up wondering if she'd be captured and killed every day, doing everything in her powers to keep Harry safe…Sirius ignored her tone and glanced at Remus, who was watching them with a smile. When Remus saw the grim looks on his friend and Hermione's faces, his smile dropped.

_Come and take a walk on the wild side  
>Let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain<br>You like your girls insane.  
>Choose your last words,<br>This is the last time.  
>'Cause you and I<em>

_We were born to die  
><em> 

"We're joining the Order of the Phoenix under Dumbledore…" Sirius mumbled in to Hermione's ear and she sighed. "I'm wondering if you're going to join as well. Remus wishes you wouldn't; he's scared for you…"

"Well _Remus_ can be the one to talk to me about this…" Hermione began, but was interrupted again by Sirius.

"We know you're powerful and smart, Hermione, and Remus told us about what you were doing before you transferred here last year…He's scared to lose you. He told us you barely survived the battle you were in before James saved you, and we could all agree with that. Your wounds were…well, we were scared for you then…" Sirius kept his voice hushed as he looked at Hermione intently.

"There is always that risk when it comes to fighting Voldemort, Sirius…" she huffed when he shivered at the name, "oh for Heaven's sake, Sirius! He'll kill you whether you say his name or not!" Sirius's eyes widened but he said nothing.

_Lost but now I am found  
>I can see that once I was blind<br>I was so confused as a little child,  
>Tried to take what I could get<br>Scared that I couldn't find  
>All the answers, honey.<em>

_Don't make me sad, don't make me cry._

_Sometimes love is not enough when the road gets tough  
>I don't know why<br>Keep making me laugh,  
>Let's go get high<br>The road is long, we carry on  
>Try to have fun in the meantime<br>_ "What is this speech supposed to do, Sirius? Talk me out of fighting?"

"Not exactly…I'm not sure what I'm trying to do here…"

"Then why did you bring it all up?" Hermione was having a hard time containing her anger and Sirius glared at her.

"Because I don't want to see my best friend hurt, Hermione!"

"I'm not going to hurt him, Sirius…I love him, and you know that. I'm going to fight, whether you approve of it or not. I've been fighting Voldemort all my life; I'm not going to back down now!"

"Dammit, Hermione! You're a muggle born! If _HE_ gets a hold of you…he'll kill you!"

"I know that Sirius! He'd do the same to you!" Hermione closed her eyes and willed her anger to go away. Her eyes met Remus's and she saw he was standing frozen by their table with a concerned look on his face. Her eyes then met the smiling eyes of Lily and James. "Lily is going to fight, why can't I?"

_Come and take a walk on the wild side  
>Let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain<br>You like your girls insane  
>Choose your last words<br>This is the last time  
>'Cause you and I, we were born to die<br>We were born to die  
>We were born to die<em>

_Come and take a walk on the wild side  
>Let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain<br>You like your girls insane  
><em> Sirius sighed and the two stopped dancing.

"Trust me, James has tried to talk her out of it…He's given up though, she's too stubborn…"

"Then give up on talking me out of it!" Hermione said in a hushed, but furious tone. Sirius stared at her for a moment before glancing at Remus.

"He wants to get a house with you…he wants a future with you; marriage, kids…Remus didn't have hopes for his future before you…I don't want to see his hope disappear if you…"

"I'm _NOT_ going anywhere, Sirius. I fully intend on marrying him, if he wants a future with me…

"He does."

"I intend on giving him a house full of children if he wants it…"

"He does…"

"Then STOP worrying about it! We're going to defeat Voldemort and we'll all have happy lives!" Hermione hissed and Sirius looked at her quizzically.

"If you truly believed that, then why did you sound so sarcastic about it?" Hermione's eyes widened slightly before her glare returned. She opened her mouth to reply but stopped when she saw Remus put their drinks on the table and turn to walk to the two of them.

_'Cause you and I, we were born to die..._

"This conversation if over, Sirius. Thank you for your concern, but I'll be fine! I'm not so sure about you so why don't you focus your concern on you!" Hermione hissed and turned to walk to Remus but stopped when Sirius turned her to face him angrily.

"What the hell does that mean, Hermione?"

"I'm saying that maybe you shouldn't trust a certain mousy friend of yours!" Hermione said before she thought about it and quickly slapped her hand to her mouth. Sirius glanced at her and then Peter, who was joking with Lily. James had stood and was walking over to them with Remus, both men looking concerned at Sirius and Hermione.

"What do you mean by that, Hermione? Peter is a loyal friend!" Hermione couldn't stop the harsh laugh and cursed at herself. "You have some explaining to do, Hermione. Tell me what you know that we don't!" Hermione glanced around at all the other dancers and was shocked that none of them had even noticed their bickering. '_Ignorant people' _she thought to herself and looked back at Sirius.

"I can't tell you…" she said, her body deflating and her anger disappearing as Remus and James approached them. Remus pulled her to him and gave Sirius a dark look.

"What did you say, Padfoot?" Remus growled and Hermione held him tightly.

"Nothing! It's your girlfriend who is talking stuff," Sirius said with a glare and Hermione sighed.

"What do you mean?" James looked at Hermione and raised an eyebrow.

"She said that we couldn't trust Peter and now she won't tell me why…" Remus pulled back from Hermione in shock and stared at her.

"Why can't we trust Peter, Hermione?" James asked as he glanced nervously at Lily and Peter, who were still talking and laughing-completely unaware of the argument the other Marauders were having. Hermione glanced at Remus in hopes he'd save her from this conversation but his stare told her that wasn't going to happen. She sighed sadly and stepped away from them.

"I told you, I can't tell you that…"

"Hermione, if Peter is going to do something to betray our trust and you found out, you need to tell us!" Remus said as he grabbed her arm roughly causing her to wince at his grip. The faint light in the room briefly illuminated the scars on her arm causing Sirius and James to stop. Hermione knew what they had seen-the word carved in to her flesh-and tried to pull her arm free, to no avail. Remus's grip was too strong.

"First, you're going to tell us what you know about Peter…and then you're going to explain that scar," James said threateningly and Hermione squirmed in Remus's grip. She looked at the three men around her and gave a defeated sigh. She was doing that a lot late, she realized.

"His…his fear of Voldemort is going…he's going to betray you to Voldemort…" she said quietly. The three men looked between each other in surprise.

"Peter is loyal, Hermione, he wouldn't do that…"

"I told you what you were asking me, Sirius; now please let me go Remus…" Hermione mumbled and Remus let her go. He looked at her arm and flinched at the bruise he could see forming. He pulled Hermione into his arms and held her tightly.

"I'm sorry, Hermione…I didn't mean to…"

"Its okay, Remus…I'm tired, I'm going to go to bed…" Hermione pulled herself from his arms and looked in to his sad blue eyes, "I'll see you in bed right? I missed you the last couple of nights…" Remus smiled slightly and nodded before giving her a brief kiss. Hermione quickly left the room and the three Marauders looked at the table where Lily and Peter still sat.

"Do you think she's telling the truth about Peter?"

"I'm not sure, Moony…I hope not…" Sirius replied as the three of them walked over to their table.

"Aw, man! Hermione's going to miss my proposal!" James cried out as he slapped his pants pocket where the box for Lily was.

"I guess we'll just have to tell her about it later, Prongs…Good luck!" Sirius said with a small smile as he slapped James on the back.


	9. Chapter 8 Marriages and Forgetting

Chapter Seven –** Marriages and Forgetting**

_(Hermione, 1978)_

Remus stepped in to James' changing room and smiled at how nervous the usually confident man had become. Sirius was in there also and when the two friends looked between each other, they grinned.

"I can't believe you're nervous about this, James," Remus said with a laugh, ignoring how much trouble he was probably in. James whirled around on him, "I can't believe you were almost late to my wedding, Moony!" James pointed at Remus, who held up his hands.

"Blame the Maid of Honor, not me…" Remus, who was already in his dress robes, chuckled at how Hermione had been running late to get ready at the house they shared. Remus had gotten up earlier than planned and had tried to awaken the sleeping woman in his bed, but she kept mumbling 'five more minutes' and rolling over. Remus had taken a shower and tried waking Hermione again. It worked that time, but only because she had seen he was only in a towel. She had smiled at him devilishly. Remus had chuckled at her and in between kisses had tried to convince her to get up and shower so that they could eat and be early for the wedding.

Remus blushed at the memory of how his attempted convincing died down and they had made love. Sirius saw the blush on his face and cracked up, "Prongs, it appears that Moony got some action before coming today!" James looked at Remus and joined in the laughter.

"Your tardiness is forgiven than, Moony. You are only a man after all," James said before they all headed out of the room to go to where the small ceremony would be performed.

"Oh, Lily, I am so sorry I'm late…" a gasp interrupted Hermione when she saw Lily in her wedding dress, "you look absolutely beautiful, Lily!" Hermione ran up and hugged her best friend and the two giggled with excitement. Hermione had quickly changed into her dress and fixed her hair before arriving.

"You're alright, Hermione…I'm just so glad you could make it!" Lily was nervous and extremely excited, unable to contain either emotion other than pacing. Hermione grinned at the bride in front of her. Lily stopped pacing when she saw Hermione's face.

"What about you and Remus, Hermione? Do you think you two will get married soon?" Lily smiled at the blush that formed on the brunette's face.

"We've decided to let you two have your day without our happiness interrupting. I hope he'll propose soon though…" Hermione said her voice full of happiness. "Are you ready, Lily?" She asked quietly with a smile. Lily nodded and they walked out of the room. Hermione led the way down the aisle, her eyes falling on Remus in his dress robes. He gave her a dashing smile, which she returned immediately before taking her place opposite of the three men. Lily came down the aisle next and seeing her in her wedding dress made James very happy as he began to bounce in his spot. Hermione had a different feeling wash over her, sadness.

Her memories of her time before coming to meet the Marauders were beginning to become fuzzy. She could barely remember who her friends were. If the events of the night she had been sent back hadn't been so frightening, she was sure she would have begun to forget that day too. She cast a brief glance at her arm where the words were scarred in her skin. She had cast a glamour charm on them to hide them from everyone else, since only Remus knew about them. She blinked away the tears and looked back up at Remus, who gave her a concerned look. She smiled sadly as a flash of his future self appeared in her mind.

She shook her head and watched the beautiful and short wedding begin in front of the other members of the Order of the Phoenix and a few other friends and family. The wedding and reception were both kept short and Hermione soon found herself back at the small house her and Remus shared. James had given them his family's old vacation house on the edge of a forest to the far north of London and Hermione had fallen in love with the place. It was a warm place, which was bright and full of love. Remus had walked ahead of her before he realized she was standing still looking at their home and him.

Remus remembered her sad smile at the wedding and walked back to her, concerned. "Are you alright, Hermione?" He tipped her chin up so that she met his eyes and he frowned at the tears he saw there. She nodded with a small smile and hugged Remus tightly to her. They stood there, outside on their cobbled walkway in their formal clothes from the wedding, for a while before Remus began to lead her to their door. Once they were inside, he pulled Hermione to the couch and sat down with her in his lap. He sighed when she leaned her head in to the crook of his neck and her scent entered his nose. She gave a small sniffle and Remus's heart broke as he felt her begin to cry softly.

He held her tighter to him, whispering words of comfort for a problem he didn't know or understand. She calmed down and pulled away from him slightly and he met her eyes.

"Are you sad because of me? Is it because of me being a werewolf, Hermione? What's wrong?" Remus quietly asked. Hermione's eyes widened before softening.

"No, Remus, you've done nothing wrong. I'm not sad about anything…well, I am obviously…but it's nothing you've done. I swear…" Hermione gave him a quick kiss and Remus relaxed.

"Is it because of the wedding?"

"Partly, yes," she replied. She smiled remembering about Lily asking her about them, "Lily asked when you and I were going to get married." Hermione said with a laugh. Remus suddenly picked her up and set her back on his spot of the couch, causing her to look at him curiously.

"She would ask that, wouldn't she?" Remus said with a smile. "I was afraid she couldn't contain herself around you when she knew…" He got down on one knee in front of Hermione and held out a small silver ring with three diamonds on it, "Hermione Granger, will you make me a very happy wolf and marry me?"

Hermione sat in shock for a split second before launching herself at him. The two fell to the floor in laughter as she kept repeating the word "yes" to him. Remus slipped the ring on her finger, his eyes pausing on the magical mark on her finger before the small ring covered it. Remus rolled to where he was on top of the brunette as she looked at the ring and began crying again.

"I just got you to stop crying…please tell me you're happy this time…" Remus placed kisses on her cheeks as he said this and Hermione nodded.

As the year progressed and ended and 1979 began, Hermione found herself unable to recall hardly anything from her original time, her memories now only consisting of the happy times with Remus and fear as the Dark Lord grew stronger and his numbers began to grow exponentially. The Order of the Phoenix began to send its members on missions to protect artifacts or people against the Dark Lord causing Remus and Hermione to spend a lot of time apart, but both always returning safely to each other. Time flew quickly, too quickly for Remus and Hermione and by the start of 1980 they realized they had never sat down to discuss their wedding.

"Hermione, when would you like to have our wedding?" Remus finally brought up one night. He thought it was an excellent time for the discussion; Hermione had seemed depressed after her latest mission for the Order. He didn't blame her though. She hadn't returned on time and when Dumbledore had realized this, he disappeared to find her and her partner. Days had passed and Remus almost went to find her himself, but James stopped him.

"She'll need you here, Moony, when she gets back…" Remus had almost turned on his friend and punched him. '_How can he stay so positive that she'll come back? It's been almost a week…what if she's…_' Remus stopped that thought before he thought about it and was rightfully glad he did as Dumbledore appeared with an unconscious Hermione. Remus had lunged forward and taken her immediately.

"Death Eaters had found them…" was all Dumbledore had said.

Remus blinked away the memories and stared at the still healing witch as she limped around the kitchen. Remus had offered to help her with various things in the house since their return after her last mission, but she was stubborn and insisted she was healed enough to cook dinner for them. Hermione turned to him with that same loving smile she always gave him.

"I'm not sure, Remus. I've been thinking about this for a while, to be honest. I've started to think that we should wait until the war is over…but then I think about how we need that happiness now…" she put the food on their small table and limped over to him. "However, I don't need a paper telling me I can love you freely, I can do that now. I can sleep with you without a paper telling me I can," she said, her voice turning seductive as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Blimey, 'Mione…" was all Remus could say before crashing his lips to hers. She let out a squeal as he picked her up and carried her to their bedroom, dinner completely forgotten.

Time continued to tick away and in the fall of 1979, Hermione got an urgent letter from Lily begging her and Remus to come over immediately. The couple glanced at each other in fear and apparated to the Potter residence. Hermione dashed in to the house, "Lily! Lily, where are you?" she cried out as she ran through the kitchen and living room with Remus right behind her. Hermione dashed up the stairs when she saw no one on the lower level. Hermione threw open the master bedroom's door and found Lily sitting on the floor crying.

"Lily! Shh, what's wrong? Where's James?" Hermione asked as she rushed to Lily's side and hugged her.

"He's still on his mission…he…he was supposed to be back two days ago…" Lily cried out between her tears. Remus used the wall to support himself, fear sinking in at the thought of losing his best friend. Hermione held Lily tighter to herself, trying to comfort her.

"What if he's dead, Hermione? How can I raise our baby alone?" Remus froze. Baby? Hermione pushed Lily away from her slightly to look at her in surprise.

"You're pregnant?" Hermione asked in a whisper before suddenly laughing and hugging her friend tightly to her. "Congrats, Lily! You have nothing to worry about, we all know James! He'll come back you soon, you'll see! Never fear, you two are going to be amazing parents!" Remus walked calmly to the two girls before hugging Lily and congratulating her.

"Did I miss something important?" the three looked up at James who stood in the front of the doorway, covered in dirt and sweat. Lily launched herself across the room and into his arms.

"James Potter, you were supposed to be back two days ago! How could you leave me and your unborn child here thinking you were dead?" Lily yelled out between kisses and tears. James froze when he heard her say unborn child before he swooped her in his arms and spun her around.

"I'm going to be a dad! You hear that, Moony!" James kissed Lily fiercely, silencing her tears and worries. "You're going to be a mum. Can you believe it?" Lily and James were soon reduced to laughter and kisses.

"We'll just…uh…leave you two be…Congrats you two," Hermione said before pulling Remus out of the room. Hermione was struggling to remember who the dark haired and green eyed boy in her memories was all the way back to her home.

It was a short time after that that Trelawney made her prediction and Remus and Hermione heard that the Potters had gone into hiding. Their chances to see Lily and James became fewer, only at meetings of the Order, and as Lily's pregnancy progressed, Lily stopped attending.

Hermione began to lose her mind with worry at the lack of visitings from the two and put all her strength and determination into all of her missions and into her relationship with Remus. They still hadn't decided on a wedding day when Hermione got an owl from Sirius.

_The bundle is coming. You. Here. Now. Alone, please? – Padfoot_

Hermione was home alone so disappearing without a question was easy. She apparated to a street corner in the center of London, where she and Sirius had met up before to have lunch one day. She had been surprised he wanted her alone that time and she was surprised this time also. Hermione looked around for Sirius but didn't see him anywhere. A hand suddenly grabbed Hermione's arm and she felt the tug of disapparition. When they appeared in Godric's Hollow, Hermione spun and saw it was Sirius. He led her to the Potter house.

"Sorry, their in hiding remember? I didn't want to give you how to get here and have the letter get in the wrong hands…Lily requested you to be here…threatening to hex anyone who said you couldn't be," Sirius said with a chuckle. Hermione smiled and they entered the house. Screams met Hermione's ears and her and Sirius quickly went up to the master bedroom.

"Harry James Potter, you wait until your Aunt Hermione gets here!" Hermione chuckled as she entered the room.

"I'm here, Lily…" Lily looked up in relief as Hermione stood by her side, next to James. Madam Pomfrey nodded at Lily to begin pushing. Hermione watched as Lily pushed, breaking James's fingers in the pain of it. It seemed like hours had gone by to Hermione, and they probably had.

A baby's cries filled the room and cheers erupted from everyone. Lily sighed and smiled at the sight of her boy. Hermione looked at the child and froze. Her memories of meeting Harry and Ron came back to her, followed by a blur of their years together. After he was cleaned, Lily and James held each other and their baby. Hermione and Sirius hung towards the back of the room until Lily called out to them to come and hold him. Hermione was handed the blue bundle first and she sighed at the sight of him.

"Hello Harry…"


	10. Chapter 9 Depression and Children

**Chapter Nine** – Depression

It was well past midnight by the time Hermione got home. She was surprised to see the lights on in her house since Remus wasn't due back from his mission for another few days. Another reason for the surprise was that Remus rarely stayed up this late so the fact that he was still awake added to the feeling. Regardless, Hermione's spirits lifted some as all her memories coming back earlier had depressed her greatly. She almost cried holding baby Harry that's how bad she felt.

Hermione entered the house and found the living room in disarray. Books and papers were scattered on the floor and the end tables by the couch were smashed to pieces, wood splinters lying all over the floor. She walked cautiously down the small hallway to the kitchen and dining area and saw their china broken on the floor and cupboard doors barely hanging on the wall. Their kitchen table was knocked over and the research she had been secretly doing was scattered all over the floor. She pulled her wand out and walked back to the two bedrooms. The guest room, which hadn't been used since shortly after they moved in, was untouched. A loud crashing sound from the master bedroom made Hermione jump and she quickly, but cautiously, approached the somewhat closed door.

"Remus…?" She pushed the door open with her foot and stared at the man in front of her. She looked around their room and saw only his bedside table had been knocked over. Remus was hunched on the bed holding his head, his knuckles bleeding from punching the wall and cupboards. He looked up as she spoke, his eyes full of fury. Hermione lowered her wand and stared at him, somewhat pissed at the damage he had done around their home. She sighed at the realization that the full moon was only a few days away, probably the cause of his extreme anger.

"Where the _hell_ have you been, Hermione?" Remus yelled as he stood and in a blur had her pinned against the doorframe. A rather painful feeling, Hermione would admit to anyone that would've asked her at that moment. She grimaced in pain as her head connected with the corner of the doorframe, letting out a small whimper. The sound startled Remus and he backed away while looking at what he had done to their room.

"Remus, baby, calm down. You're just upset because of the full moon approaching…Talk to me, what happened?" Remus became even angrier at the mention of the moon.

"Oh yes, lets blame everyone on me-the werewolf! I'm upset because of my problem…Well, I'm _sorry_, Hermione, if my problem inconveniences you! If it is such a big deal that for the few nights leading up to the full moon that I'm cranky, then leave!" Remus's eyes opened in regret and fear the minute he said the words. Hermione almost collapsed, clutching the door frame to hold herself up, and looked at him with tears in her eyes. Remus stepped forward to hold her, but she backed away from him. They stood there for a moment, the words seeming to echo around them in their quiet house. Hermione finally sunk against the wall and sighed.

"Remus…would you mind telling me why you destroyed our home?" Hermione asked, trying to ignore what he had said as she stepped away from the wall, her hand going to the back of her head to rub the pain away. Remus frowned at her before advancing again, slowly this time.

"Imagine coming home from a mission and finding your usually bright and warm home, dark and cold. You weren't here…_no note_…You do realize that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is hunting down and _KILLING_ your kind, right Hermione? I thought you had been taken!" Remus saying her "kind" really rubbed Hermione the wrong way and Hermione bristled instantly. Remus flinched in regret at his wording, seeing the hurt flash in his fiancé's eyes briefly before her anger took over.

"Of course I realize that, Remus! I've been fighting against Voldemort since I was eleven years old, I'm not an idiot. And what do you mean by my kind, Remus? You mean a mudblood like me, because I am well aware of the fact that my dirty blood is…" Hermione began, her voice rising in volume. Remus quickly interrupted her, his anger vanishing quickly.

"That's not what I meant…or at least not in that word use…I'm concerned, Hermione…Voldemort is aiming to kill muggle borns and blood traitors…I've been waiting here for you for hours. You usually leave a note if you leave; you didn't today. I was scared…I thought that you were dead." Hermione looked around their room, still blinking the tears away. It was true. In her rush to get to the Potter's, she had forgotten to leave a note.

"In my defense, Remus, I didn't know you'd be back early…" Remus sighed at her response and sunk back on to the bed.

"I've returned early before and found a note from you. You had said you didn't expect me but had made the note anyways, to be safe…" Hermione covered her face with her hands and sniffled as her tears began to escape and run paths down her cheeks. Remus sat on the bed watching her and feeling guilty at her tears and was angry with himself as he found himself not moving to comfort her.

"Lily had her baby, Remus. Her and Harry are doing fine…she wanted me there for his birth. In my hurry, I forgot to leave a note…I'm sorry." Remus looked up in surprise and a smile appeared on his face. The smile quickly vanished as he watched Hermione gather some clothes and necessities for the night.

"Where are you going?" He asked, fear in his voice. Hermione looked at him sadly as another tear rolled down her cheek.

"You said some hurtful things, Remus…I'm crashing at a friend's tonight. Just know that I would never leave you because of your furry little problem," she mumbled and disappeared in to the hallway. He moved to stop her but froze when he heard her disapparate in the living room.

"I'm really sorry, 'Mione…" he said to the empty house around him.

_**(Hermione)**_

Hermione opened her eyes and froze when she saw where she was at. She stood in the middle of the Forest of Dean, close to where her, Harry, and Ron had camped. She collapsed to her knees and began to cry softly, her heart wrenching at the memories of their argument. She crawled on the forest floor to a tree and collapsed against its trunk, allowing her sobs to take over. She tried to see reason through her pain-her mind telling her to atleast set up enchantments to protect her from any loose evils, but she couldn't get the tears to stop. She froze when she heard a distant crunching of leaves.

"Do you smell that?" came a deep voice that Hermione could somewhat recognize and it made her stomach knot in fear. "There's somebody over here…" Hermione stood slowly and tried to look around to see where the voice was coming from but even in the almost full moon light, she couldn't see far ahead enough. She turned the other way and came face to face with Fenrir Greyback and two other men she didn't recognize, making her gasp in surprise. She could see the Dark Mark on their forearms though.

"Hello, Gorgeous, what are you doing out here all by yourself?" Greyback asked with a smirk. Hermione backed away from his, which made his smirk widen wolfishly. He looked at the sky behind her and Hermione's heart froze. Thank goodness it wasn't quite full but it didn't mean anything to Greyback. "Such a pity we couldn't find you tomorrow night, huh Severus?" Hermione felt someone behind her and turned, meeting Severus who smirked.

"Indeed," he drawled. He looked her over and raised an eyebrow, "and where is your mangy dog, Mudblood?" Greyback raised an eye brow inquisitively before sniffing her hair.

"You smell like…Lupin…how is my pup doing?" Greyback asked with a laugh. Hermione glared at the two before quickly shouting a spell that caused the dirt to fly up in the group's faces, allowing her a chance to run. Hermione could hear spells hitting the trees around her as she ran.

'_I can still apparate…where to go though?'_ she thought hurriedly. '_I am SUCH a MORON! Why did I think about coming here instead of to Sirius's or the Weasleys?'_ Hermione looked behind her and saw Snape fire a _Sectumsempra_ at her. '_Merlin, that man loves this spell!_' She managed to dodge most of it but gasped when part of it hit her arm. Cuts began to zig zag up her arm and the last cut slashed across her cheek. Greyback was quickly gaining on her, his speed had almost double with the full moon approaching; he was almost on top of her.

She quickly thought of Sirius's small house in London and felt the tug of the disapparition. As soon as her feet hit the cement of the sidewalk near his house, she glanced around hurriedly to make sure Greyback hadn't been able to get a hold of her and travel with her. The door to the house flew open and Sirius stood in the doorway, staring at her in shock.

"Hermione? What the hell are you doing here? What the hell happened to you? Get in here, quick!" Hermione held her arm gingerly and nodded, rushing in to the brightly lit living room of Sirius's home.

"Remus just flooed me saying you left after an argument! Where did you go? What happened? And what in Merlin's beard possessed you to _leave_ his protection and go somewhere _alone_?" Sirius was practically yelling the questions as he rushed around gathering things to bandage her. He was awful at healing spells and didn't have any healing potions in his house, something he was now regretting.

"I accidentally apparated to a forest…I was splinched so I came here for help," she quickly lied as Sirius helped her lift her sleeves to tend to the cuts. He eyed her suspiciously and Hermione knew he knew she was lying.

"Hermione…" he began with a frown as he cleaned and bandaged the wounds on he arm before turning to her face. She leaned away from his hand and used a piece of gauze to clean the blood off her cheek and neck, which was pointless since the cut was still gushing. Sirius slapped her hand and quickly stitched the cut together. He wasn't good at magical healing but he was darn good at Muggle methods and he was proud of it.

"Sirius, I was splinched. Okay? Nothing happened; I was just too upset and lost focus…"

"Okay…You don't have to tell me the truth, but I advise you tell Remus…he's not going to like it when I tell him what's happened." Sirius got up and went to the fireplace to floo his friend. Hermione stood quickly and pointed her wand at Sirius, who froze when he saw it.

"Please…just let me crash on your couch tonight, Sirius. I'll go home in the morning, I promise…" Sirius looked at her wearily before nodding and leading her to his guest room.

"Promise me, Mione, that you will go straight home in the morning…"

"I promise…"

_**(The Next Morning, Remus)**_

Remus awoke really early, the sun just beginning to peek into the windows. He was exhausted. Staying up late for Hermione to come home, their argument, waiting to see if she'd come back home, the pain on his ring finger from the tatto, and his inability to fall asleep made him feel awful. That didn't include the pre-full moon feelings he was experiencing as well. He went about the house repairing and cleaning everything, he even reorganized Hermione's research-doing his best to not read her notes. That last part was difficult as he saw snippets about werewolves and children, quickly peaking his interest. Out of respect for Hermione, though, he ignored her notes. She'd tell him when she was ready.

As the day progressed, Remus began to grow concerned as Hermione never returned. He flooed James to see if he had seen her, when he said he hadn't, he flooed Sirius.

"Padfoot…have you seen Hermione?" Remus asked, exhausted. Sirius looked just as equally tired, which Remus thought was weird.

"Yes, Moony…"

"Really? Is she still there?"

"No, she told me she'd return straight to you this morning. When I woke up, she was gone, I assumed she was with you…" Sirius looked more alert as he said this and Remus felt fear grip his throat tightly.

"Moony, she looked pretty roughed up…like she had gotten in a fight or something. She told me she was splinched but come on, we know Hermione…her getting splinched doesn't sound possible. She's too focused, no matter what is going on, to get splinched…I'm coming over," Sirius told Remus. Remus stepped away from the fire and moments later the fireplace filled with green flames and Sirius stepped out, dusting himself off. Moments later James stepped through.

"Alright, what's going on? Lily is freaked out at home and an upset Lily, makes an upset Harry, which lowers the amount of sleep everyone gets at home…" James mumbled, his voice full of exhaustion. Sirius and Remus quickly filled James in on what they knew and the three Marauders sat in the living room, trying to come up with places she might have gone. The three men jumped to their feet when they heard a _pop!_ from outside and they ran to the front door. Remus threw the door open, almost ripping it off its hinges, and the three gave a sigh in relief when they saw Hermione.

Apparating in her state had been a righteously bad idea. Her wounds pained her more and her stomach flipped, almost making her puke up her breakfast on her froont lawn. She had gone to Hogwarts and had her arm healed by Poppy but left before the Medi-witch could heal the cut on her face. It was healing fine on its own thanks to Sirius's excellent stitching job, so she wasn't too concerned about it. She stood still, steadying herself on the walkway and willing her stomach to calm down before looking at Remus-who looked relieved, exhausted, and pissed all at the same time. James and Sirius patted Remus's shoulders and left the two to talk. Hermione walked cautiously into their house and Remus repaired and shut the door.

"Where did you go, Love? What happened?" Remus asked as he watched her walk around, surveying the repairs he had done to their home. His werewolf sense picked up a couple different smells on her and he pulled her close to get a better smell. His stomach lurched violently.

"Greyback! Snape! They found you? Is that why you're face is cut?" Remus could see the answer in her eyes but she shook her head. He took a deep breath and tried to calm the wolf inside him. "I was scared, Hermione…You owe me an explanation…"

"I owe you nothing! You hurt my feelings, I needed space!" Hermione yelled. She turned and stomped to their bedroom.

"Why are you behaving like such a child, Hermione?" Remus yelled back. Their bedroom door slammed shut and he sighed. "There ya go, Moony, make it worse…"

"How bad of a fight was it that you two haven't spoken, much less seen each other, in almost three months?"

"It was the worst we've ever had…"

"Moony, you two have never fought…" Remus lifted his eyes from his tea and looked at Sirius and Lily.

"I said some…pretty mean things to her…She came out briefly yesterday, I think. I heard her door open and then close after a little while. I'm hoping she ate…I haven't seen or heard much from her, I'm not sure if she's been eating at all…" Remus sighed, placing his face in his hands.

"You know, I'm not so sure your fight is all to blame, Remus…she seemed very depressed when she was holding Harry a few months ago…" Lily added quietly. "And I bet she didn't want to concern you about whatever happened when she left. Everyone pushing her for answers probably didn't help her feel any better either…Think about it, if you were ambushed suddenly, wouldn't you feel scared? I would…I'm not so sure I would want to talk about it right away either…" she looked pointedly at Remus as she said this and he flushed slightly in guilt.

"Depressed?" Remus stared at Lily for a moment, ignoring what Lily said about him pushing for answers, which he knew was true. Any chance he had, he was asking Hermione what was wrong and what had happened. He felt like a fool for being so pushy with his questions.

"Do you think it had anything to do with the baby? Maybe she wants one…" Sirius replied and Remus remembered seeing her research about werewolves and babies.

"Or perhaps she's upset that you two haven't been able to decide on a wedding day…" Lily quickly added with a frown on her face as she realized how long the two had been engaged so far.

"She can't decide if she wants one now, or after the war is over…And she hasn't said anything to me about children yet…"

"Maybe she's scared to, Moony…" Remus gave a sigh and finished his tea. He hugged his friends and apparated home.

When Remus got home, he was pleased to see dinner set for two. Candles flickered throughout their house and as he walked past the guest room where Hermione had been sleeping, he found it open and empty of her person. He walked in to the bedroom and found her lying on his side of the bed, her curls fanned out on his pillow. He walked around to where she was and sat on the floor in front of her. Her chocolate eyes met his blue eyes and she smiled sadly.

"Do you want kids, Hermione?" Remus asked, reaching for her hand and holding it tightly.


	11. Chapter 10 Hollow and Wounded Hearts

A/N : Recap:

_When Remus got home, he was pleased to see dinner set for two. Candles flickered throughout their house and as he walked past the guest room, he found it open and empty of Hermione. He walked in to the bedroom and found her lying on his side of the bed. He walked around to where she was and sat on the floor in front of her. Her chocolate eyes met his blue eyes and she smiled sadly._

_"Do you want kids, Hermione?" Remus asked, reaching for her hand and holding it tightly._

Thanks for all the excellent reviews I've been getting! I'm sorry that I've been skipping around in the times; I just didn't want to have a lot of boring stuff in the chapters and have everyone lose interest. On to the chapter:

**Chapter Ten – Hollow and Wounded Hearts**

Hermione lay perfectly still, watching Remus with her brown eyes full of sadness. His question had surprised her, it wasn't the pushy ones he had been asking her for months now. She smiled at the man in front of her and sat up slightly to lean on her elbow.

"Only if you're the father, Remus…" She softly answered. Remus smiled at her response, but could still the sadness in her eyes.

"Is that why you've been so depressed lately, Love? Because we haven't had children? We haven't gotten married yet? We've been engaged for two years…everyone thinks we're past due on the wedding…Please tell me why you're so sad…Is it because of me being so pushy about knowing what happened that night?" Remus moved to lie on the bed beside her and Hermione readjusted so that her head was lying on his chest. He sighed happily. Holding her made him feel the best he had felt in the past three months.

"I didn't want to talk about what happened, Remus. I'm sorry for not talking to you about it…I don't care when we get married or have kids, as long as I'm with you for it all, I'll be happy…but I'm scared I'm going to lose you, Remus…I'm not just scared, I know it's going to happen…and I won't be able to do anything about it," Hermione mumbled.

"What are you talking about? I'm not going anywhere. I'll never leave you, Hermione, I swear it," Remus sat up and held her face, forcing her to look at him.

"Yes, you will…I've seen it, Remus…" Hermione froze as she thought of her time. She didn't want to tell him that she would be returning to her time, that he'd forget about her and start dating Tonks. He'd probably married Tonks by now in her time, leaving her with an aching heart and no one to love. Sure there was Ron, but her feelings weren't the same as his. During their time hunting the Horcruxes, she wondered if he still had any feelings for her at all. Hermione quickly changed her thought process from telling him about seeing him with Tonks in her time, "in a dream. I saw it. You forgot about me…"

"Then it was just a horrible dream, Love. I could never leave you. I could never forget about you." Remus held her tightly to him and they lay together for hours, forgetting their dinner in the kitchen; neither sleeping for the fear of their world had finally caught up with them. Remus had been unbothered by his missions for the Order, trekking through them determinedly so that he could get home to Hermione. She had done much the same. Now as they lay in their bed, both seemed to realize what was going on. It was like the light bulbs in their heads finally clicked. Hermione had long forgotten the fear she had felt when she was hunting the Horcruxes, she had even forgotten the night Bellatrix had tortured her.

Hermione's body began to sting, like small ant bites were happening all over her and under her skin. Her nerves began twitching violently and she felt the familiar pain of the Cruciatus curse; she could even hear Bellatrix's cackling. Her arm began to burn slightly, like an itch, before it felt like the words were being carved in to her skin all over again. She thrashed free from Remus, screaming and shaking but her arm remained unmoving as if some unseen weight sat upon it. Remus watched in horror as the scar reopened, one small cut at a time, until blood was leaking down her arm and the word was completely opened.

"What the…? Hang on, Hermione! Let me get Poppy!" Remus quickly darted off the bed and ran to their fireplace, using the Floo network to contact Dumbledore and Poppy. Remus quickly rejoined her on the bed, using the sheets to cover the freshly cut word on her arm. Dumbledore appeared first and surveyed the situation before looking at Hermione sadly.

"Remus, I need to speak with her for a moment…alone…"

"No! Whatever you have to tell her, you can tell me! We keep no secretes between each other, Professor!" Remus yelled, doing his best to keep her wound covered. Dumbledore frowned at the panicked man in front of him and Hermione patted Remus's arm gently.

"I'll be okay, baby…Please, let me hear what Dumbledore says…" Remus eyed Hermione doubtfully and moved away from her. Poppy came in and took over curing her wounds as Remus sulked out of the room. Dumbledore placed charms on the door so that Remus couldn't hear.

"The wounds reopening…does that mean I am to return to my time soon?" Hermione asked, doing her best to ignore the pain she was feeling.

"Most likely, Miss Granger. I'm afraid to tell you that you will return to your time in the same condition you left it in…" Dumbledore replied with a grimace on his face. Hermione sighed and shooed Poppy away. When Poppy gave a threatening look and opened her mouth to speak, Hermione just shook her head.

"If I'm to return in the condition I was in, there's no point in healing me. It'd just cause more pain when everything reopened again…When do you suspect I'll be taken back to my time, Professor? Tonight? Tomorrow?" Dumbledore could only give her a defeated shrug and Hermione sighed.

"Please, you two…leave. I'll see you both in my own time," Hermione mumbled. She quickly removed the charms from the door and Remus bolted in. Dumbledore and Poppy left and Remus growled when he saw Hermione was still bleeding.

"Why didn't she heal you?"

"I didn't want her to, Remus. Please, let's just go to sleep now. It's past Midnight…" Hermione used a spell to wrap her arm and clean the blood off the sheets before she lay back down. Remus stood still, fuming slightly before finally giving in and crawling in to bed with his fiancé.

"This is turning out to be a horrible Halloween…" Remus mumbled in to Hermione's curls. Her eyes shot open as she remembered the date. October 31st, 1981 – the day the Potters were killed.


	12. Chapter 11 Halloween and Leaving

**Chapter Eleven – Halloween and Leaving**

(_**Later that day, 10/31/81)**_

Hermione hadn't slept a wink. She didn't tell Remus that of course when he had woken up and gotten ready for a meeting with Sirius and Dumbledore. Remus was still seething about the night before and planned to fully let Dumbledore have a piece of his mind for leaving Hermione wounded and not explaining anything to him. She had done all she could to calm the furious werewolf, kissed his cheek, and told him she'd try to be home when he returned. He looked at her questioningly for a minute before leaving.

Hermione paced the house, her conscious fighting against itself. On one hand, she wanted to go and save the Potters and on the other, she knew that doing so would severely mess with the future. _'It couldn't hurt to spend the afternoon with my best friend. This will be my closure…I'll leave her before it gets dark, before Voldemort goes to her house, and that way I don't mess with the future…_' Hermione thought to herself, but she felt vile for thinking it. She couldn't just leave her best friend to die…

Hermione made up her mind and sent an owl off with a request to go shopping with Lily, who quickly replied a very excited '_YES!_' and the two met on a corner in London. Hermione made sure to leave a note for Remus, just in case. The two girls spent almost the whole day shopping; Hermione easily losing track of time with her best friend. The war had taken its toll on their friendship and she was quite glad to see that despite their lack of visitations to the other, they were still as close as before. Lily had made sure to have a Glamour charm on, just to be safe.

"You're saying you're going to be alone tonight, Hermione? Well if Remus still isn't back by the time we finish here, why don't you come over for dinner? It's getting dark now; James will want to eat soon. Why don't we just head to my place now?" Lily asked as she shrunk her bags and put them in her pocket.

"That sounds excellent! How bout I quickly take my bags home and drop them. I'll just be a minute!" Lily nodded and Hermione disapparated. Hermione quickly set her bags down on the couch and noticed Remus still wasn't home. She was about to disapparate when she heard the door unlock and open. Remus saw her and smiled.

"Hey, Love, Sirius was wanting to do dinner here tomorrow night, that okay with you?" Hermione looked at the time and froze. She needed to be quick so that she wasn't in the Potter residence when Voldemort attacked. She just needed to say goodbye to James…

"That sounds good, Sweetheart," Hermione replied hurriedly as she rushed to the front door.

"Hey, you okay?" Remus asked as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him. Hermione stared at him for a moment before kissing him fiercely. She put all her love and fear in to that kiss and when she pulled away, Remus was still reeling from the feeling of it. He had a small smile on his face and he leant back down to reclaim her lips when she stopped him.

"I'm so…so sorry, Remus. No matter what happens, always know that I love you. I always will. I have to go now…I'll see you again…" Hermione mumbled just barely loud enough for him to hear before she took off out of their house. She quickly turned around and placed many strong charms on the house, sealing the door and windows. She then locked the floo network and put up a spell to keep him from disapparating.

"I can't risk you coming after me…I'm so sorry, Love…" Hermione whispered as tears came to her eyes. She blinked them away quickly and took one last look at their house. She could hear a muffled and panicked yell from Remus inside the house. She looked at the time and realized that she had only left Lily five minutes ago. It felt like much longer to the brunette. Hermione shook her head and disapparated to rejoin Lily.

"I must say James; I am shocked you know how to cook so well!" Hermione said with a chuckle. Dinner had been delicious and Hermione and the Potters had lost track of time. It took baby Harry yawning for Hermione to realize how late it was. She quickly stood up and was about to say her hurried goodbyes when Harry was put in her arms. Lily smiled at the brunette before picking up the dirty dishes and disappearing in to the kitchen.

"I'll just go put Harry to bed really quickly, but I've desperately got to go…" Hermione started up the stairs, carrying the sleepy Harry up with her. Lily soon joined her and the two put Harry to bed when James yelled from the living room. Hermione's stomach knotted and she ran down the stairs to James.

"It's him! Lily, Hermione, get Harry and run!" Hermione spun and pushed Lily up the stairs before turning and grabbing James roughly.

"You need to go with her, James! Go, I'll be fine!" She yelled, shoving James as hard as she could up the stairs to Lily.

"No, Hermione! We can't just leave you…" James began, fully intending on fighting the stubborn brunette. He didn't have much of a chance as Hermione fired a stunning spell at him before beginning a duel with Voldemort. Hermione blocked spell after spell and dodged several killing curses.

"You must be the one with the werewolf…how is your pathetic little half breed?" Voldemort asked, a sneer coming across his face as he dodged one of her spells and hit her with one. Hermione flew a couple feet and hit the wall. She let out a groan and cried out as the tattoo on her ring finger burned. She had a funny feeling Remus felt it hurting as well and he probably knew she was in danger by how it pulsed on her finger.

"He….is not…pathetic!" Hermione shouted as she stood and began firing spell after spell at the dark wizard, who was caught by surprise. A very pleasant surprise.

"You should be on my side, Miss Granger…Come join me and I'll make sure your werewolf remains unharmed," Voldemort offered her his hand with a sickening smile.

"I can keep him safe without your help!" She shouted and threw a spell his way that she didn't recognize. It gave off a bright glow as it hurtled into the Dark Wizard, who let out a cry of anguish. His body turned to smoke and flew at Hermione, going through her and up the stairs to Harry's room. As Voldemort passed through her, Hermione felt all her wounds from the day of her arrival to 1977 reopen and she passed out, hearing Lily scream for Harry.


	13. Chapter 12 Funerals, Goodbyes, and Hello

**A/N:**** I do not own HP or any songs that might be mentioned in the chapters. Thanks and Enjoy!**

**Chapter Twelve ** - **Funerals and Goodbyes**

_**(Remus, Halloween 1981)**_

"Moony! It's him! He's here! Hermione is…" Remus froze when he saw James's patronus and heard what he had to say. The abrupt ending and disappearance of the Patronus scared Lupin even more. He had been trying desperately to get out of his house after Hermione had spelled him in, but nothing worked. He screamed and punched the wall, breaking a hole in to the dry wall and cutting his knuckles in the process. Fear had a tight hold on his heart. His fiancee and his friends were in danger and he couldn't leave his house! To say he was becoming pissed off was an understatement. His ring finger began to burn and throb and he cried out in pain as it felt like it was being cut off slowly.

The lights began to flicker around him and Remus watched, wondering if his anger had sent out some magic unconsciously. It didn't appear to be that case as they kept flickering before shutting off. A split second later the doors and windows flew open and the fireplace roared to life. '_That…this can't be good…_' Remus quickly disapparated and went to Sirius's house.

"Sirius! Sirius, James and Lily are…"

"In trouble, I know! Let's go!" Sirius grabbed a hold of Remus and the two disapparated. When their feet hit solid ground, they froze at the sigh in front of them. The roof of the house had caved in and it was completely dark inside. The two quickly ran in to the house, hoping that their friends were still alive.

"James! Lily!"

"Hermione!" Sirius whirled around and looked at Remus in shock.

"Hermione was here?" Remus nodded sadly. The two quieted to listen around the house and both froze when they heard Harry crying. Remus noticed scorch marks on the walls as they ran up the stairs. Someone had been dueling and had put up one hell of a fight. The two men dove around the splintered wood of the upstairs and raced to Harry's room. When they got in there, Harry was the only person in sight with a dark red scar on his forehead. Sirius quickly picked him up and tried to soothe him.

"I don't understand…there aren't any bodies…" Remus felt his heart breaking, the tattoo on his ring finger wasn't hurting anymore. He quickly looked around and remembered a vital piece of information.

"You! What did you do, Sirius?"

"Me? I didn't do anything!"

"You were their secret keeper!" Remus felt his anger reaching a boiling point and he quickly pointed his wand at the man in front of him, "give me Harry, Sirius."

"Are you mad? I'm not handing my godson to you!" Sirius turned his body to shield Harry from Remus and pointed his wand at the angry werewolf in front of him.

"They're missing, maybe even dead because of YOU! MY HERMIONE IS…" Remus froze, not wanting to finish that thought. Thinking of her as dead pained him even more and he had to blink away his tears. To lose his friends and Hermione in one night…

Sirius quickly ran past Remus and ran outside, disapparating with baby Harry. Remus stood still, at a loss of what to do. He quickly decided to talk to Dumbledore and Peter to discuss Sirius's betrayal and about getting Harry back. When he got to Hogwarts, he was surprised to see Hagrid carrying baby Harry out of the castle.

"He is going to his Aunt and Uncle's for protection, Remus…" The heart broken werewolf looked at Dumbledore and nodded solemnly. "I am sorry for what has happened…We trusted the wrong person, Remus…"

"Hermione was…is she…?" Remus choked on his words, tears springing to his eyes as Dumbledore gave a grim look. "James…and Lily are…are they really dead?"

"…I'm afraid so, Remus…"

"And Hermione…?"

"Is missing…"

"Does Peter know?"

"No one has been able to find him yet, Remus," Dumbledore said solemnly and Remus froze. Three of his friends, his fiancee, and Sirius…his whole world in one day…He collapsed to his knees and Dumbledore placed his hand on Remus's shoulder.

The next day, Remus found out that Sirius had killed Peter and the twelve muggles and was now in Azkaban for his crimes. The only bright side of the news was that Voldemort had been destroyed by baby Harry, who had survived the killing curse. Remus couldn't bring himself to return to his home, the pain of being there with all their memories and her scent was too unbearable. He forced himself to do so after a month of no sign from Hermione and quickly packed everything of her's away. He had never felt so lost…

Remus pulled his patched cloak tighter to his body and stared down at the still fresh graves of James and Lily. He placed roses at the base of their marker and let his tears take over.

"I can't…I can't do this without you guys…without her…"

_**(Remus, 1993)**_

"It would be an excellent chance for you, Remus. We could really use your experience," Dumbledore said with a smile. Remus sat across from him in his office and sighed.

"With all respects, Headmaster, but I can't…I shouldn't! I'm too dangerous!" Remus argued but he knew he would lose; he wasn't sure why he was even bothering to argue with the man.

"Nonsense, Remus! You'll take the Wolfsbane and we'll charm your office so that no one can enter during the Full Moon," Dumbledore replied as he stood with a smile. "Welcome back to Hogwarts, Professor Lupin!"

_**(Remus, September 1993)**_

How he had managed to sleep on the train was behind him, and how he had slept through the three young teens talking was especially surprising. He had been so worked up hearing that Sirius had escaped; he hadn't slept well all week. Oh how he longed for revenge on the man…Remus awoke with the cold feeling of the Dementor and he quickly banished it with his Patronus. He looked down at the young man in front of him and recognized the black, unruly hair. It was the teen's eyes, however, that gave away who he was and Remus smiled sadly at the memory of his friends which made him think of his ex-fiancee. His heart tore at the memory and he quickly shook his head to clear it.

After giving them chocolate, Remus eyed the three teens. The red hair and freckles instantly gave Ron away as one of the Weasley children. The young girl, however, looked almost identical to his Hermione. Or a younger version of his Hermione. He tried to remember if she had said anything about a sibling who could have had a daughter that could have such a striking resemblance to her. It dawned on him that Hermione had never really said anything about her family, only that they were muggles and always travelling. He smiled at the young teens and quickly dismissed himself.

Later that night as he glanced over his attendance for the third year class, his eyes found Harry's name and he smiled. Then he saw the name just below it '_Hermione Jean Granger.'_

"Hmm…I wonder if someone else loved that name as much as my Hermione's parent's did," but the more Remus thought about it, the less of a coincidence it began to seem and the more he was around the young woman, the more she resembled his Hermione.

"No! I trusted you! And all this time, you've been his friend! He's a werewolf, that's why he's been missing classes!" Hermione yelled, pointing at him. Remus and Sirius glanced between each other, a sudden knowing look passing between the two. Sirius could feel his heart breaking for his friend. To regain the love of his life after so many years was amazing, but she was thirteen! It didn't make sense to either one of them.

When Remus awoke the next day, fear filled him as he recalled transforming without the Wolfsbane potion. In front of the three teens and Sirius. Had he hurt them? If he had, he should be killed right then and there. If he had hurt his Hermione…

_'You've got to stop thinking of her in that way, Moony…She's NOT yours. She's thirteen years old!_' he chastised himself and continued his packing, only pausing to discuss with Harry what had happened. He was relieved to find out that he hadn't hurt anyone, especially relieved that he hadn't hurt Harry or Hermione. When Harry had told him that Hermione had called to him from the forest, he was shocked. She was still the brave girl-soon to be woman-he knew and loved from his time.

'_Stop it, Moony!_'

"Since I am no longer your professor, Harry…I feel no shame in returning the map to you. I'm sure we'll meet again. Until then, 'Mischief Managed.'"


	14. Chapter 13 1998 Again and Answers II

**A/N: I hate leaving everyone hanging on a Cliffy like the last chapter, so I apologize deeply for it.**

**Dungy: **I can't say much about James, or the other Potters for that matter, but I can say that I will be revealing what happened in this chapter, so keep reading to find out!

**Claire96: **I know, I deeply enjoyed writing that chapter! I do apologize for leaving it hanging like I did, but I had to get to class so I submitted it and took off. If I would've waited to submit the chapter until after my class, I wouldn't have left it that way. I try to upload a new chapter everyday so I won't keep ya'll waiting long, I promise! I don't update over the weekends though, so I'll try to keep my Friday posts from having a horrible cliff hanger like this past one.

**Smithback** – Thank you for reviewing every chapter so far! I've enjoyed getting your reviews! I know, that past chapter had a lot of things going on! I apologize for the stress! :/

**LK-HoGwArTs-hEaDgIrL** – I'm glad you're still enjoying the chapters! =^_^=

_**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, put my story on their Favorite Story Alert, added me as a Favorite Author, and so on! It makes my day!**_ ^_^

_Without further adieu, here is the next chapter! :D _

**Chapter Thirteen**** – 1998 Again or Something Close to That**

Hermione came to in what appeared to be the library in Hogwarts. Well, it was and it wasn't the library at the same time. It was bright, filled with a white light and it was empty. Empty of students, Madam Pince, and yes, even empty of books. All of the shelves were bare and Hermione found her heart seizing in fear at the sight of them.

"You changed things, Miss Granger. I believe I requested that you try to keep from doing that…" Hermione blinked and sat up in surprise when she saw Dumbledore walking towards her.

"I couldn't help it, Professor…I didn't mean to fall for Lupin and I didn't intend on getting involved with the Potter's fates…I originally just wanted to say goodbye…but I stayed too long. I couldn't just sit by and watch…"

"It's quite alright, Miss Granger. I do have to admit, though, how you weakened the Dark Lord has me quite curious…Perhaps Love is stronger than even _I_ anticipated," Dumbledore said with that all too familiar, and severely missed, twinkle in his eye.

"I don't understand, Professor…what do you mean 'weakened?'"

"Well, Miss Granger, Voldemort was originally intended to be defeated by the protection of Love covering Harry after Lily sacrificed herself for him, as you know from your original time of 1997. It appears that _your_ love for your friends, both past and future, and for Remus caused his soul to lose its strength, instead of how it should have been," Dumbledore informed as he glanced around curiously, giving Hermione the idea that he had never been inside the library-something she knew wasn't true.

"Wait…_I _defeated Voldemort?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"Oh no, well yes, actually…but not indefinitely. You see, his soul was what attacked you and triggered the spell Bellatrix cast on you to have you sent back to your own time. His soul wanted something youthful, it appears, and that's why he went through you, through the Potters, and into Harry. This will cause Harry to still have his infamous scar..." Dumbledore explained as he was still glancing around, touching the empty shelves and pacing in front of her.

"So I didn't change anything? The Potters still died…?" Hermione felt an intense sadness at the loss of her friends. Dumbledore stopped walking and stared at her.

"My dear, you changed everything. It was _you_, and your love, that defeated Voldemort that night. The Potters are indeed still alive, but Miss Granger, I implore you to listen carefully to wait I have to say about this. Harry must not know this yet," Dumbledore gave Hermione a stern look as he said this.

"But why, Professor? I don't understand, if James and Lily are still alive…then why wouldn't Harry know?"

"Because, Miss Granger, when Voldemort attacked the Potter house, James sent his Patronus to Sirius, Remus, and myself about him attacking. I got to house first-although still regrettably too late, and, while I don't pride myself on what I did, I felt it was necessary for James and Lily to remain in hiding so I temporarily modified their memories and removed Harry from their lives. They're currently at a location that only I know until the time is right for them to come back.

"I took James and Lily to their hiding place by disapparition, leaving Harry in the hands of Sirius-who arrived shortly after my departure with Remus. They both assumed that James, Lily, and you had been killed. However, Sirius and Remus both thought the other was the traitor, refusing to speak of anything to either one. As you know now, Hermione, we did have a leak in the order, the leak being Pettigrew, but at the time we didn't know that and he was trusted as the Potter's secret keeper. Sirius didn't tell Remus in fear that Remus was the spy and when the two reached the house and discovered the destruction and 'death' they turned on each other. Remus blaming Sirius for turning the Potters, and unknowingly you, over to Voldemort; Sirius thinking that Remus was amongst the many werewolves who had joined Voldemort. So Sirius took Harry to me and I had Hagrid take him to his Aunt and Uncle's…" Dumbledore explained as he finally sat beside Hermione at the table.

"Remus…he must hate me for doing what I did to him…" Hermione looked at the engagement ring on her finger and Dumbledore chuckled.

"Hermione, Remus is incapable of hating you. You two are soul mates, proven by the magical bond you two made when you were at Hogwarts in 1977-78. The bond is what made that mark on your finger, Miss Granger. Very rare magic to see. Although it appears that couples in the Order are capable of finding their other halves. Arthur and Molly, James and Lily, Remus and you, Alice and Frank…quite extraordinary that there are so many together in one group…Now, if Harry and Ginny were to marry, they may not make such a bond. You see, a person can love and marry anyone and be happy for all eternity with said person, but you only have one soul mate," Hermione removed the engagement ring and looked at the "tattoo" on her ring finger and smiled.

"When I was fighting Voldemort, it seemed like the mark was on fire and it actually hurt quite a bit…Could Remus feel that as well?"

"I'm afraid so. Consider that mark to be like the clock Molly Weasley has in her living room. That mark will inform your soul mate if you are in extreme danger, if you are too far away, and if you have died. A person can live without their soul mate, Miss Granger, but they wouldn't feel whole ever again-no matter if they fell in love again or not-and the depression that would follow would most likely consume them. I'm afraid to say I haven't met a single person who stayed alive much longer after their soul mate's passing…" Dumbledore had a brief look of sadness in his eyes.

"So until Remus met me again in my third year…did he think of me as dead?"

"Not at first, however when he found out you had been with Lily the day you disappeared, he had to face the truth, or what he thought was the truth of you being dead. He was quite disturbed to see a much younger you in his third year class, Miss Granger. It took him quite some time to accept that you weren't the same Hermione Granger he knew and loved in 1981. He also quickly came to understand that you would eventually be sent back to 1977, though until recently he didn't know when or even how," Dumbledore stood and began reexamining the library.

"Professor, if James and Lily didn't die…does that mean that Sirius isn't…" Hermione began but Dumbledore released a small sigh.

"I'm afraid I hadn't thought much of how to handle the remaining Marauders after hiding the Potters. Sirius still cornered Peter, who still killed those muggles and framed Sirius with his finger. Sirius still escaped in your third year and still vanished in to the veil in your fifth year…" Hermione looked down at the table, feeling her heart break at the idea of never seeing that charming smile again.

"Continuing on the topic of Mr. Lupin, I remember you placing charms on the house so that he couldn't leave. Before you ask, those charms wore off after you disappeared. This happening most certainly did not help the young man from thinking you were dead, as most spells will suddenly wear off when the caster dies. However, if I may ask, why did you think those were necessary?" Dumbledore looked at her curiously, but Hermione felt that he already knew the answer. She looked at him skeptically and he smiled.

"He would have tried to stop me…to follow me. I couldn't risk him going to the Potter house with me and getting caught there by Voldemort like I did. I felt it was necessary," Dumbledore looked at her thoughtfully for a moment.

"You went to the Potter's to stop them from dying, Miss Granger. Don't worry, I would have most likely done the same if I had known their fate like you did, despite the repercussions," Hermione smiled and nodded.

"I have to say, I'm not surprised that you would choose the Library as your haunting ground, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said with a chuckle. Hermione smiled, unashamed. "Though it does seem…a bit sparse doesn't it?" Dumbledore asked with the twinkle back in his eye. He looked around abruptly before looking back at the young woman sitting in front of him.

"I believe our time is almost up, Miss Granger. I expect you can find your way back alright," Dumbledore began to walk away from Hermione, who quickly stood.

"Professor! I don't know where Harry and Ron are…how can I find my way back to them without that knowledge?"

"Trust your heart, Miss Granger. It'll get you there…take it easy, though, Hermione. Remember you'll be heavily injured when you come to again. Oh and one more thing, as horrible as it might sound…you'll need to ignite a spark of anger in your fiancé's heart, he has gotten quite depressed. Do that and you two can be reunited in battle," Dumbledore's smile had disappeared and he looked at her with a grim face before walking away.

The library suddenly turned dark and Hermione's body began to feel cold. She soon realized she was under water. Cold salt water began to fill her lungs and sting the open wounds on her arms, back, and head. Hermione quickly clawed her way to the surface and when her head broke the surface, she began to cough and sputter her way to shore.

_**(Harry and Ron, 1998)**_

Harry sat at the table, staring at the wall in front of him. Bill and Fleur had been trying to understand what they had been doing for the past five, almost six, months they had been away and he was doing his best to ignore them. Footsteps suddenly came pounding down the steps and he turned to see Ron. Ron looked at him smiling.

"Listen to this, Harry!" Ron quickly clicked the deluminator.

"…Harry! …..Ron!..." Hermione's voice rang out of the small device and everyone stared at it in shock, Ron's grin growing.

"Hermione? Where are you?" Harry stood up.

"The beach…help me…" Ron and Harry looked at each other before they both dashed out of the room. They both tried to run out the front door at the same time and got stuck. After some maneuvering, Harry squeezed past Ron and they both dashed down the hill to the beach where they could see a figure crawling out of the water.

"Hermione! We're coming!" Harry yelled out. He got to Hermione first and froze when he saw all of the blood she was losing. He swooped her up in his arms and did his best to jog back up the hill to Bill and Fleur with Ron beside him. Fleur quickly treated Hermione's wounds and they all left her to rest. Bill couldn't seem to keep his happiness in him and he kept pacing excitedly.

"Her return will certainly boost the Order's morale! I have to let them know she's back," Bill quickly made his way to the other room but stopped when Hermione interrupted him.

"No, Bill! You can't tell them…" She limped to the table and sat between Harry and Ron.

"You should rest, Hermione…" Ron muttered to her and Fleur glared at Hermione in agreement with Ron.

"Why shouldn't we announce this to the Order?" Bill asked his confusion showing strongly on his scarred face.

"You can't announce that I'm back and safe…Instead, I want you to announce that I am dead," Hermione stood again, the potions quickly healing her wounds.

"WHAT?" The four other Order members questioningly yelled, their faces all portraying that her idea was absurd.

"Just do it, Bill! If you don't…I will make you," Hermione pointed her wand at Bill and glared. He stepped back in surprise.

"Uh…Hermione…you're threatening my brother…" Ron said dumbly and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Just go with me on this, okay everyone? Bill, do it!" Bill and Hermione walked in to the other room and they heard Bill give a heavy sigh.

"Attention folks…we are sad to report that the Rain has been found…and that we are…distraught to say she will never grace us with her presence again. The Rain…is lost to us forever, I repeat…the Rain is lost to us forever…"

Harry and Ron continued to stare in surprise at Hermione when she returned.

"Listen, Bellatrix was very upset that we might have gotten into her vault. I'll bet another piece is in her vault…Where's my beaded bag? It has a strand of Bellatrix's hair in it that we can use for a polyjuice potion…" Hermione looked around and found her bag on a chair in the living room. Harry and Ron looked at each other before sighing and joining her in the living room to discuss their plans.

_**(Remus and the Weasleys)**_

"_Attention folks_" Remus, who was sitting with the Weasley family at their dinner table, jumped out of his seat and rushed to sit next to the small stereo system to listen to the announcement. Molly and Arthur were right behind him.

"Do you think they've found Hermione?" Molly asked, fear in her voice.

"I hope so, dear…" Arthur replied and Remus could feel his chest tightening painfully and he held his breath, waiting anxiously for the report.

"…_we are sad to report that the Rain has been found…_" Molly let out a gasp and smiled tearfully at Remus, who bowed his head in relief. Their relief and happiness was short lived and Remus froze as the words "_sad to report_" processed in his head. His fears were strengthened when the speaker crackled, a sign the report wasn't over. "…_and that we are…distraught to say she will never grace us with her presence again. The Rain…is lost to us forever, I repeat…the Rain is lost to us forever…_"

The Weasley house had never been so silent, or atleast not in a _very_ long time, and Arthur, who had at one time craved for silence, found he hated every second of it. Molly began sobbing loudly, turning into her husband's embrace. Arthur felt tears run down his face as well as he looked at the distraught werewolf in front of him. Remus didn't know what to do…he couldn't breathe. He found himself sobbing; his heart shattered.

After minutes of the house being filled with tears, what actually really felt like hours to all the occupants, Remus stood. A fury he had never felt in his life consumed him and he found himself at the front door before he had even realized he had moved.

"I'll avenge her…" he growled out, the wolf in him becoming one with his mind and body in their anger. Remus turned back to the Weasleys and Molly gasped when she saw his face. The conflicts between Remus and his inner werewolf had made him grow older faster. In front of the Weasleys stood a younger looking Remus, the scars on his face weren't as noticeable and the wrinkles and gray hair had mostly disappeared. The fury in his eyes made almost everyone step back from him in fear.

"I'll kill them all for hurting her…" and with that, he opened the door and walked out of sight before disapparating at the edge of the field.


	15. Chapter 14 Horcruxes and Preparing

**A/N: I still don't own anything. This part of the story is much like the books/movies so I'll try to go through them quickly so that no one gets bored. **

**Hprbdfan – **I am so glad that you like the story! Thank you, I love writing and have been working on stories since I was really young. I'm constantly having second (or third, or fourth, etc) thoughts about each of my chapters, putting them through a large amount of editing if I have the time, which sometimes I don't and it bugs me. I always have issues with rushing relationships in my stories, no matter how hard I try to take my time with building them, so I apologize for that! I am so glad that you are enjoying the chapters, I especially loved the last one and almost cried with it also. I also thought that their code names were excellent. Harry's is used in the books if I remember correctly, they did refer to him as "lightning" or something close to that, so I wanted to keep with the storm idea for Ron and Hermione.

**KEZZ1 - ** I am glad you are enjoying the story! I try to update every day so keep checking back for more!

**Smithback** – Haha, no Remus was not happy at all! I felt bad writing that part of the chapter… _

On to the new chapter! ^_^

**Chapter Fifteen – Horcruxes and Preparations for Battle**

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were becoming buried in treasure. Hermione should have known that there would be some sort of spell on the contents of the Lestrange vault, she hadn't given it any thought and now she could do nothing but curse at herself.

"Ronald, stop moving!" The pair waited anxiously for Harry to come out from the mountain of gold, Hermione doing her best to ignore the burning tattoo on her ring finger. Either she was in deep danger and hadn't quite realized it yet-which she was quickly calculating on that seeing that there was a poor tortured dragon just feet from the vault, a tricky goblin, a continuing hunt for items to destroy Voldemort (again), and a mountain of treasure that was currently trying to bury her alive-or Remus was in danger. Hermione's heart seized at that thought and it took all her will power to focus back on the task at hand.

Harry came springing out of the mountain, and much to Hermione's dismay, Griphook left them to the guards and the dragon. The dragon. Of course!

"I've got an idea…but it's completely mental!" She yelled and in a blur of spells and slight pain, she was riding a dragon. Her, riding a dragon…If someone had told her a few days back that she'd be clinging to a dragon as it climbed out of Gringotts, she would have thought that they were mental. Here she was, though, and aside from it being the most terrifying thing she'd ever done lately, she found it to be a rather awe inspiring ride. Her ring finger burned quite painfully the entire time of the ride, the swim to shore, and the setting up of their tent for a short break before heading to Hogwarts for the next Horcrux.

"Hermione…where did you get that ring on your finger?" Hermione jumped out of her thoughts and saw Ron staring at her ring finger with a dumbfounded look on his face. She quickly looked at the ring Remus gave her and smiled softly at the memory of him proposing. Harry watched her with a smile of his own but stayed quiet. She quickly took the ring off and placed it in her beaded bag.

"I'll explain it to you later, Ron…I'll stand watch while you two finish eating," she mumbled as she exited their tent. Harry ate quietly, watching Hermione sit in front of the entrance to the tent and begin reading. He finished eating and stepped outside to join her.

"Mind if I sit with you for a moment, Hermione?"

"No, Harry," she replied while situating herself so that Harry could sit by the fire with her.

"Lupin told us about your…trip…" Harry said quietly, looking at Hermione with a smile. She looked at him in surprise and blushed slightly. She hoped Harry didn't notice the blush, but of course he did as he chuckled at the sight of it.

"How much did he tell you?"

"Not much. I know that ring was his and that he proposed. You were in the first Order of the Phoenix with him, he pointed to you in the photo; seemed quite surprised to see that you had used a Glamour charm on yourself for it too," Harry said with a chuckle. Hermione joined him with a small laugh and they both sighed, thinking. "Did you meet them? …My parents, I mean…" Harry asked with his eyes intent on the ground.

"…Yes…Lily and I were better friends than Ginny and I are…she asked me to be her Maid of Honor at their wedding…and she threatened to hex anyone and everyone in the room if I didn't make it to when you were being born. It was weird, Harry…being there as you were born, knowing that at 11 years old, we'd become best friends…" Hermione gave a small smile as she said this and Harry looked at her incredulously.

"You were at their wedding? At my birth?" Hermione nodded and Harry gave a slight laugh.

"I have to ask…did you join in on any of the Marauders' escapades through the castle?" Harry asked, having a hard time believing that Hermione would break school rules.

"I did…The Marauders actually used my room as their hideout most of the time…We plotted everything there."

"Could you tell me about it sometime?" Harry asked and Hermione looked him in the eye and smiled.

"Of course, Harry…"

"Remus has one of those…that tattoo or mark or whatever it is…He has one on his ring finger too…did you ever figure out what it was?"

"I never did on my own, but Dumbledore told me before I came back to this time…"

"Well? What is it?" Harry grabbed her hand to inspect the marking around her ring finger.

"It's a mark of extremely rare magic…" Hermione blushed as she explained to him what Dumbledore said to her. Harry looked at her in awe.

"You and Remus are soul mates?" She nodded and he sat quietly for a moment, "do you think…if Ginny and I…do you think we'll have one of those as well?"

"I'm…not sure…Dumbledore said that even if the person doesn't find his or her soul mate, they can still love and be happy with the person for the rest of their lives…So even if you and Ginny don't have such a bond, it doesn't mean you won't be happy…" Hermione squeezed Harry's hand reassuringly.

"This is, of course, assuming that both Ginny and I will survive all of this…" Harry mumbled, staring blankly in to the fire. Hermione leaned her head against his shoulder and nodded. Her ring finger began to burn again and Hermione sighed.

"Remus is in danger…I can't imagine a life without him, Harry…I hope he'll stay safe, or atleast alive, until this is over...I don't think I would be able to survive without him, to be honest. I'm no different from the other couples that Dumbledore's known…" Harry looked at her in shock before pulling her into a hug.

"Don't think like that, Hermione. He'll be safe and you two can finally get married after this is all over…" Hermione laughed.

"Remus may not want to marry me after everything I've put him through…I locked him in our house without warning, disappeared for almost thirteen years, returned to him as a thirteen year old girl, accused him of helping a murderer get in to the school to kill you, and let's not forget that I just had Bill tell him I was dead…If he forgives me, I wouldn't deserve it…"

"Yes, you do…if he doesn't forgive you, I'll beat some sense in to him," Harry said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. "You're going to have to explain what you mean by locking him in to your house, though, because I don't understand what you're talking about and why you would do that…"

"After this is all over, Harry, I will tell you everything you want to know…" Hermione mumbled as they stood up and began to pack everything back up. Hermione had a bad feeling about apparating to Hogsmeade, but she saw no other way of getting in to the castle. She reached in to her bag and pulled out her engagement ring. If she was to do in battle, she would do so as the proud fiancé of her werewolf. She smiled and shook her head, no not werewolf, man. She was Remus Lupin's fiancée and she would stand as close to his side as possible-without giving away that she was still alive-for the battle to come.

_**(Remus and the Weasleys)**_

"Remus, sit still! You're as bad as Fred and George!" Remus sighed and sat still as Molly finished healing the last of his injuries. He knew he shouldn't have gone on that rampage against that group of snatchers, but he had been pissed. Still was for that matter. Especially after he had encountered Greyback in the group. The mark on his ring finger continued to burn, occasionally pulsing, and Remus wondered if it was just to torture him. To remind him that she was no longer with him and no longer would be.

"Mum..!" Fred hollered from the other side of the living room.

"…Quiet!" George finished as he turned up the stereo that was making a crackling sound. Remus stretched as Molly finished healing him and he turned to face the stereo, worry settling in his stomach that he would hear more bad news from the small box.

"Attention, the lightning has struck Hogwarts! I repeat, the lightning has struck Hogwarts!" Molly and Arthur looked at each other and everyone quickly ushered to the fireplace to floo to Hogsmeade, to Aberforth.

"Be safe, everyone…" Molly whispered before she disappeared in the green flames. Remus stepped in next and in a spin, found himself stepping out in to Aberforth's kitchen. Using the secret passageway, the Order all gathered in the Room of Requirement before they all went to the Great Hall.

"It seems that despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a bit of a security problem, Headmaster!" Harry called out, it echoing around the Great Hall as Remus and the Order marched in to the room. Remus caught a slight whiff of vanilla and froze, looking around the room for the girl he knew with that smell.

'_It's impossible…they said she was dead…_' Remus thought to himself. He shook his head, '_maybe your sense isn't as good as they used to be, Moony…_' A small glint caught his eye and he looked and saw a ring, no, not just any ring, _his_ ring, on the hand of a student with their hood up. His heart seized and he felt joy spreading through him.

Snape disappeared out the window and Remus ran forward to talk to Hermione. He just needed the reassurance that it was her. Gods he missed holding her…He found himself skeptical if she would still want to marry him after the battle. He _was_ twenty years older than her now…he had aged a lot since his proposal. He felt a tug at his arm and turned to face Molly.

"Remus, age doesn't matter, deary. If that really was her…then you need to stay alive, you need to help protect her. It may be seventeen years later, but she's going to want that wedding!" Molly said, giving him a smile and a hug before disappearing to be with her husband. Remus stared at the Weasley matriarch's disappearing back and shook his head. He could see Harry talking to Minerva with Ron and Hermione beside him. The three nodded to the headmistress and ran off.

"Remus, we need to buy them time!" Minerva said as she ran past him and outside. Remus sighed and ran to his post in the clock tower.


	16. Chapter 15 Battle of Hogwarts

**A/N: I still don't own anything…I apologize about my chapter numbers. I got a little confused as I was typing and submitting them…**

**Chapter Fifteen (the real chapter 15) – Battle of Hogwarts**

Hermione hadn't meant to get separated from Harry or Ron after destroying Ravenclaw's diadem. She ran through the castle, dueling Death Eaters, stunning those that she snuck up on, and it was beginning to tire her. The running was, more than anything, but seeing and hearing the injured and dead laying all around her was something that she knew she would never get over. Not to mention that her ring finger felt like it was being cut off. It was obvious that Remus and her were in danger, she knew this. Why did the mark constantly remind her of what she could see all around her? She groaned as another wave of heat surrounded her finger, signaling that Remus was still in mortal danger. She rounded a corner and saw Bellatrix dueling with a random student, who was losing to the maniac. Hermione quickly shot a spell at the crazed Death Eater, who turned and smiled when she saw Hermione.

"Well, well, well…if it isn't our dear sweet Mudblood! Did you have a fun trip?" Bellatrix taunted, her eyes wide and her smile sickening.

"Actually, I did. It was an excellent vacation. Let me tell you, there was nothing more amazing than to be back in 1981 and to be the one who caused Voldemort to fall the first time. It was quite a glorious feeling for me," Hermione smirked as Bellatrix's smile faded and she became angry.

"It was YOU? You are going to pay!" Bellatrix began firing off spell after spell, and Hermione dodged and blocked each one, occasionally sending one to the crazed woman in front of her.

"Hermione, go! Go find my son," a spell shot off from beside Hermione and she stared in shock as Lily and James Potter came to her rescue. Bellatrix stumbled back in fear as she realized the Potter family wasn't dead, like she had been told. She quickly disappeared, leaving the three old friends together.

"You remember him?" Hermione asked, quickly hugging the older Lily and James, who smiled and nodded.

"Dumbledore restored our memories shortly before he died…He requested we stayed in hiding, telling us that Harry was in your hands, but we couldn't do that. Harry is our son…we couldn't just leave him to fight this all by himself. We tried finding him, and you once Dumbledore told us what had happened, but no matter where we searched…It was like you two had disappeared," Lily said sadly. Hermione nodded in understanding.

"We haven't really spent much time in one place since he was killed…"

"Listen, we'll fight beside you, but we need to keep moving. You have to find Harry and keep him safe," James interrupted and Hermione nodded. The three of them continued their sprint through the crumbling halls, taking down Death Eaters as they did. James and Lily became deeply involved in duels and instructed Hermione to continue on. She ran up a flight of stairs, ducking with a small scream as part of the wall suddenly blasted to shrapnel beside her. She looked up and saw Antonin Dolohov dueling Remus. She watched in fear as a spell hit Remus in the chest and knocked him to the ground. Her ring finger suddenly quit hurting and Hermione found herself missing the pain.

"Say goodbye, Werewolf," Dolohov said with a smirk as he walked up to Remus. Remus lay on the floor coughing, pain etched on his face.

"NO!" Hermione yelled, sending spell after spell to Dolohov in her fury. He was surprised and entertained by the fury in Hermione, but was blocking each spell regardless.

"Her…Hermione? No…stay back…" Remus gasped out as he tried to sit up. He eyed her from where he lay, taking in her bruises, her split lip, and the blood dripping down her face from a cut. Dolohov sent a series of spells to Hermione, who blocked all but one. Her fatigue was catching up with her and the spell slipped past her block and nailed her in her in the stomach. She flew backwards with a surprised "oof!" and landed several feet back at the top of the stairs. She gave a shuddering cough and could taste blood in her mouth.

"I'm going to make you watch as I finish off your mudblood friend first, then I'll take care of you; what do you think about this idea, Werewolf?" Dolohov asked as he approached Hermione. He sent a spell at her that threw her down the stairs. Hermione let out a scream in pain as her wand arm broke and she lay in a heap on the landing at the bottom, making Dolohov laugh. Remus pushed himself up and fired a couple of spells at Dolohov's back. Dolohov turned slowly to face the werewolf and made to block one of the spells but froze at the fury on Remus's face. Remus sent another spell that hit Dolohov and caused him to burst into several pieces, much like ice.

"Hermione?" Remus pushed himself to a standing position and limped his way down the stairs to her. She sat up slowly, coughing violently in to her hand. Hermione held out her hand and gasped when she saw blood. Remus lowered himself slowly beside her, staring at the blood in her hand with fear in his eyes.

"You need to go to the healers, Hermione…"

"So do you…" she choked out between coughs. He gave her a firm look and she reached out for her wand and began to stand up shakily.

"Hermione, where do you think you're going?" Remus stood up with her.

"I have to help Harry, Love…"

"You need to see the healers first…" Remus mumbled. Hermione looked at him sadly before mumbling a small healing spell. Remus heard her arm snap back into place and her give a small whimper and her coughs slowed. She muttered another and Remus felt the pain in his chest vanish.

"I'm so sorry, Remus…for everything…for disappearing and making you wait seventeen years. If I could have told you the truth about how I came to be in 1977, I would have…"

"Hermione, it's okay. We can talk about this later, alright?" Remus pulled her in to his arms, holding her as tightly as he could. He felt complete again, as cliché as he knew it sounded. He had waited for her for so long, thought her dead…only to regain her as a child. Now he had her back exactly as he remembered. It was a shame he was so much older now…He shook his head to clear those thoughts and rested his head on top of hers. He felt his eyes sting and had to blink them rapidly, "they said you were dead…"

"I know…I'm so sorry. I was told that you would need a spark of anger to help you stay alive for this battle…I was going to stay as far from you as I could until the end of the battle, but I couldn't…I'm so sorry for everything, Remus. I love you so much…I want to get married after this, Remus, if you'll still have me," Hermione cried in to his chest.

"I love you too, future Mrs. Lupin. If you'll have an old werewolf, I would marry you now if I could…" Hermione pulled from his chest and smiled tearfully. Their lips crashed together in a series of hungry kisses. Remus placed his hands on the side of her face as they kissed.

"Hey you two, I understand it's been a while…but there's a war going on!" Remus broke apart from Hermione and looked to see James and Lily standing there. He felt faint at the sight of his old friends.

"Remus, Remus, Sweetie look at me…" Hermione forced his face to hers, "it's a long story that I swear I'll tell you after this is all over. No, you're not seeing things…Love, I have to go help Harry…I have so many things to tell you, please stay safe…" Hermione kissed his left hand and paused when she saw the mark on his finger. "I know what this is…I can't wait to tell you everything…" she mumbled before kissing his lips again and running off. Remus stood there and continued to stare at James, who laughed at the look on his face.

"James…Lily…" he mumbled before quickly walking up to the couple and hugging them tightly.

"It's good to see you again, Moony! Now come on, let's go kick some Death Eater ass!" James said with a laugh. They all froze as Voldemort's voice hissed through the air, telling them they had an hour to dispose of their dead respectfully and for Harry to go to the forest. James and Lily looked at each other in concern before running off to try and find their son.

Hermione ran with all her might to the Great Hall. She collided in to Harry and Ron, who were looking nervously in the large dining hall that had been filling with bodies. The two calmed when they realized who had crashed in to them and the trio hugged each other tightly.

"We have to find Voldemort, Hermione. The last Horcrux is his snake…it'll be where ever he is…" Harry said quickly.

"Let him in, Harry…figure out where he is and we can finish this, Mate," Ron said and Harry nodded. The three ran to the boat house after Harry had his vision and they witnessed the attack on Snape and collected the memories and ran off to see his memories. Lily had quietly followed her son but stayed behind in the boat house. She sat quietly beside Severus and he turned to her, surprise in his fading eyes.

"You've done well, Severus…Thank you for helping take care of Harry for me…" Lily said quietly as she brushed some of his hair away from his eyes.

"I…loved…you…Lily…" he choked out and Lily smiled sadly.

"I know…I'm sorry, Severus…You can go now, Severus. Have peace, my friend…" Snape looked Lily in the eye and gave a slight smile with his last breath. Lily sat there for a moment longer before standing and going to rejoin her husband and friends in the Great Hall. Lily saw Hermione and Ron standing in the doorway to the school, Hermione trying to contain her tears.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" Lily asked as she approached with James and Remus. Ron stood and stared at them in horror and Hermione clung to Remus, who held her tightly as she cried.

"Harry's a Horcrux…he has to go and be killed by Voldemort…"

_**(Harry)**_

"I'm ready to die…" he mumbled to the stitch. Harry wasn't too surprised when the Resurrection Stone came out of the stitch. He gave it three turns and looked up to see only Sirius standing before him. He looked around in confusion.

"Your parents aren't dead, Harry…" Sirius said with a smile. Harry continued to stare at Sirius in shock.

"I'm afraid I can't really answer any of your questions, Harry, you'll have to talk to Hermione on that one…" Sirius chuckled. "You need to give her a hug for me, Harry. She was an amazing friend to have growing up." Harry simply nodded dumbly, still not registering that his parents were alive.

"I'll stay with you, Harry. You're almost done, I promise…"

_**(An Hour Later)**_

Remus couldn't believe his ears…Voldemort was offering the Order and the students of Hogwarts a chance to join him. _'No one in their right mind would change to his side…what is he thinking?_' Remus thought to himself. Beside him stood James and Lily who were wearing Glamour charms so that no one else would recognize them. They didn't want anyone else to know yet, since Harry didn't know they were still alive. The look of pain on their face at the sight of Harry being carried by Hagrid was too much for Remus to bear. He pulled Hermione closer to his body and watched as Neville limped forward. Hermione pulled out of Remus's arms and stood behind Neville, unseen by Voldemort and his followers.

Neville's speech was quite touching and motivating and Remus smiled at the memories of the nervous boy he had once taught. He had grown into a brave young man. Frank and Alice would be very proud of him.

"We were hoping for better, but I'm sure we'll find use of you somewhere, Longbottom!" Voldemort said with a laugh, the Death Eaters joining in.

"I'll join!" Remus froze when he heard Hermione yell. She was still using Neville as her shield.

"Come forth, my dear, you sound quite strong. I think you'll fit into my little army quite easily," Voldemort called out in reply, a sneer on his face. Hermione stepped into view and the sneer vanished instantly. Briefly, he held a look of fear before he became furious.

"YOU!" Voldemort had his wand pointed at Hermione instantly and she raised hers with a laugh.

"Oh yes, Voldemort. I was hoping you'd still recognize me…Why don't you admit to your Death Eaters what really happened that night in 1981? Why don't you tell them that instead of killing the Potter family and losing your strength to baby Harry, you lost everything because of a Mudblood!" Hermione laughed; her laugh sending chills down Remus's spine. The crowd of people behind him in the school gasped and the Death Eaters began to whisper amongst each other.

"You see, Voldemort, your precious follower named Bellatrix Lestrange used a spell on me that sent me back to 1977. I grew up there, made friends with the Potters, and on the night you went to kill them, I stayed there to stop you." Hermione and Voldemort began to circle each other, wands still held at the ready. Remus saw a slight movement from Hagrid and saw Harry was alive and watching the scene unfold.

"Why didn't you tell your precious followers the truth of that night? Were you ashamed to be defeated by a Mudblood and her love for a werewolf?" Hermione glanced briefly at Remus and smiled.

"I didn't get the chance to destroy you that night, Miss Granger…Allow me to do so now!" Voldemort yelled out as he started firing off spells causing Hermione to dodge and block them.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Voldemort…You see…this isn't my battle anymore…" Hermione barely dodged a killing curse and Voldemort froze as Harry leapt from Hagrid's arms and took off running, stopping briefly to touch Hermione's arm. Voldemort yelled out in frustration and his Death Eaters instantly swarmed back into action.

Remus immediately began to block spells and stunning Death Eaters, attempting to get to Hermione as quickly as he could. He lost sight of her however and found himself being pulled in the castle. Remus caught the smell of Greyback and growled. His growl stopped when he turned around and saw Voldemort standing right behind him, sneering at him with his snake like face. Greyback stood just behind Voldemort with a smug look on his face.

"Greyback, why don't you go and find Miss Granger…I think it's time to teach her a lesson about messing with werewolves, don't you agree?" Voldemort pointed his wand at Remus and the two began to duel. The duel went on for what seemed like hours to Remus. Voldemort was having more fun playing with him and tiring him than anything else. Remus froze when he heard Hermione give a scream in pain and Voldemort quickly hit him with a Cruciatus curse to keep him still until Greyback returned, carrying Hermione by her hair. Remus looked at Greyback, anger rising in him quickly. Hermione had new scratches on her and Remus could see her leg was badly broken. He let out a growl and scrambled to get up.

Voldemort hit him with another "_Crucio!_" and Remus ground his teeth together to avoid screaming out in pain. He could faintly hear Hermione sobbing and calling out to him over Voldemort's laughter. Remus kept his eyes on Hermione's as he curled into a ball on the floor in front of her and struggled to catch his breath.

"Please, please leave him alone! I'll do anything, just please stop hurting him!" Hermione sobbed out and Greyback growled at her before turning and slamming her down into a pile of rocks. She let out a whimper in pain, which turned into a scream as Greyback put his foot on her broken leg and started putting his weight on it. Remus watched as she turned slightly green from the pain as Greyback added more weight.

"You would do anything for this mangy werewolf, Mudblood?" Voldemort asked and Remus thought he seemed surprised by this.

"Yes, I would…I love him!"

"Would you die for him?" Remus froze as Voldemort turned to face Hermione, his wand pointing at her.

"If it meant he stayed unharmed and alive, yes," Hermione met Remus's gaze and she smiled at him that loving smile that always stopped his heart.

"And you, werewolf, would you die for her?" Voldemort turned back to Remus.

"Yes, I would…"

"_Crucio!" _Voldemort and Greyback yelled together causing Remus and Hermione to both begin twitching violently.

"This just won't do, Fenrir…We can't kill them both…_Crucio!"_ Voldemort said to the older werewolf as Remus continued thrashing on the ground near Hermione. When the spell ended, Remus gathered what strength he had left to sit up. Voldemort turned to Greyback and nodded to the beast. Greyback put all his weight on Hermione's leg, causing the bone to break in a new place. Remus flinched as Greyback lifted Hermione up by her arm and began breaking each of her fingers, then her wrist. She let out a shriek of pain that Remus knew would haunt him forever.

"I think that's enough physical pain for her, Greyback. Let's turn our attention back to Mr. Lupin here…when we're done with him, you can keep the Mudblood if you want," Voldemort looked at Remus with a triumphant smile. Greyback gave Hermione a hungry look before looking at Remus.

"She smells like you Lupin…such a pity that such a beautiful bitch has such dirty blood and that she belongs to you. When I'm done with her, you're never going to want to touch her again…" Remus watched as Greyback tilted Hermione's head back and licked from her collar bone to her ear lobe. A low growl escaped Remus and Greyback smiled.

"She is tasty…I could get used to tasting that every day," Hermione looked at Remus in disgust and fear. Greyback lowered his mouth and Remus felt his heart stop as Greyback opened his mouth to bite her. He quickly shot up, grabbed his wand from where it had fallen a few feet away, and sent a killing curse to Greyback. He hadn't even thought about it. It didn't even register how close to Hermione Greyback had been. The curse stuck true to its course and Greyback dropped Hermione and fell dead to the ground.

"_Levicorpus!"_ Hermione's short descent to the ground was halted by Ron. Harry quickly charged past Ron and began dueling Voldemort, who had until that moment enjoyed watching the scene before him. Another Death Eater came around the corner and began to duel Ron as Remus began limping to Hermione, who looked pale on the pile of rubble. Voldemort quickly turned and show a spell at Remus. It hit him in the leg and he felt the bone shatter and he cried out in pain. He half crawled to Hermione and lay down beside her, pulling her close to his body. She began sobbing in his chest and he found he couldn't stop himself from joining her, the fear of almost losing each other still gripping their hearts.

"Nagini, kill them!" Remus looked up and saw the huge snake slithering across the floor towards him and Hermione. He fired spell after spell at the snake but they all just bounced off her body as she approached them, faster now. He held Hermione tight to his chest, covering her the best he could as the snake reared back and opened her mouth to bite them.


	17. Chapter 16 Battle of Hogwarts II

**A/N****: I don't own HP or the songs mentioned! This story is nearing the end, but never fear my readers! I have several other story ideas for this pairing. Remus/Hermione fanfics make my life and anything else just won't due! I will continue to pretend the 7****th**** book never happened because that book put me in such a depression that I consumed twice as much chocolate in one day than any other girl does around Valentine's Day. **

**The later part of this chapter was inspired by many different songs in my music library. I will post the songs and titles at the end of the chapter along with a link to look at a dress that the later part of this chapter was inspired by.**

**To my Loyal Reviewers: **

**Hprbdfan: **I like to write back thorough replies to my reviewers if I can because without the reviews the story may not continue, the inspirations may not come to me, and my gratitude to people who let me know what they honestly think of my writings would not exist. Everyone has the one thing that they crave attention and praise for; mine is writing. I strive to make each story, no, each chapter better. I cannot make things better if I don't have loyal reviewers who give me their thoughts about what I have written.

As far as how hard the war is for the two, I was surprised that Rowling did not have the characters more involved, and therefore more injured, in the battle. I understand the book is meant for young readers, but she said in an interview that she wanted to show how devastating war was-which in my mind means having more injured, more details, and so on. I wanted to show in the last chapter the extent of love the two have for one another and hope that that came across. I'm very grateful that you have become a loyal reader to me, I hope to never disappoint!

**LK-HoGwArTs-hEaDgIrL** – I'm still so glad that you are enjoying the story! Thank you for your reviews!

**Smithback - **I know! I'm so sorry! Horrible cliff hanger! I felt so guilty leaving it like that for so long….

**Forestreject – **I know! I'm so sorry! I really didn't like leaving the chapter like that; please do forgive me for it!

**Youcan'tbesirius-1 – **Thank you! I'm glad you are enjoying the story and the plot ^_^ Not to give anything away, but it would completely break my heart if I killed one or both of them…

**BassBillionaire – **I have always had issues with slowing down my stories when romance is involved. I'm not a big fan of romance when I'm writing it, it's a situation and an emotion I have very little interest or experience in when it comes to writing it so I find myself hurrying through the process to get to the point I am good at-the action. I have been tempted to go back and add details later, but I haven't decided if I'm going to do that or not. I hope that for my next story, I can slow things down more. My apologies for rushing it!

**Monnbeam – **I hope that the previous chapters have answered your questions! I'm glad that you are enjoying the story! :D

**SilvereyedAngel19 – **I'm so glad that you are enjoying it! I'm updating as quickly as I can! I've got most of the story completed but I've been going through and editing it and adding more stuff to it, so bear with me for a bit!

**ON TO THE CHAPTER!**

**Chapter Sixteen – Battle of Hogwarts II**

_"Nagini, kill them!" Remus looked up and saw the huge snake slithering across the floor towards him and Hermione. He fired spell after spell at the snake but they all just bounced off her body as she approached them, faster now. He held Hermione tight to his chest, covering her the best he could as the snake reared back and opened her mouth to bite them._

It was all a blur to Remus. Nagini was so close to his body, teeth bared and so close to digging into his flesh. He could almost feel the pain from the bite already-or it could be that the leg she was about to bite was his broken one, he couldn't really tell by that point. Hermione let out a small whimper and dug her face in to his chest to avoid seeing the snake sink its teeth into her love. A sudden flash of silver caught Remus's eyes and his breath hitched as it come within inches of cutting his leg open. The sword cut cleanly through Nagini's neck and the couple watched as the snake suddenly turned to ash in front of them.

"Morning, Professor and Hermione! Enjoying your nap?" Remus looked up at Neville in surprise before chuckling.

"We are indeed! We're thinking about getting some tea soon, you wouldn't happen to have some on you, would you?" Remus called out, still chuckling. Hermione looked at him in shock for a moment before smiling and holding him tighter to her.

"Afraid not, Professor. I seem to have left that behind this morning. I remembered my sword, not the tea. I'll try to make sure I have both next time," Neville replied with a fake sigh. Hermione laughed suddenly before wincing and holding her abdomen. The three heard a shout and quickly looked to their side where Harry and Voldemort were dueling. They watched as Voldemort sank to his knees in front of Harry and began to turn to ash. Remus saw a flash in the corner of his eye and saw Death Eaters were looking around confused on what to do without Voldemort. Some began to disapparate while others were quickly bound by Order members to keep them from escaping.

"Remus," Hermione mumbled as she poked him in the chest slightly. Her voice was full of exhaustion and Remus could feel her sagging more into him. They had been battling for over a day and he was surprised at how many people hadn't passed out by now. He turned his head and looked Hermione in the eyes. She was hurting, he could see that, but there was also something else still in her eyes. Love and desire glowed brightly in her chocolate orbs. She smiled sleepily at him before grimacing and placing her hand on her leg in pain. "Let's get married now…"

"Now? Right now?" He couldn't help but feel surprised and he could see Neville bounce slightly in excitement for the two.

"Yes…Unless you don't want to anymore," Hermione mumbled as her eyelids grew heavier. Remus chuckled and kissed her on the forehead.

"You deserve a real wedding, Love. Once we are healed enough to walk on our own, we'll get married right away. Deal?" Hermione nodded sleepily and finally fell asleep in his arms.

"Hermione? Ron?" Harry came running over to check on his friend in Remus's arms and sighed happily to notice she was only sleeping. Ron came limping over to the two and the two boys hugged. Remus saw Lily and James walk over to them and remove their Glamour spells. Harry stood still for a moment and Lily began to cry softly, a smile on her face.

"Mum!" Harry quickly ran to his mother's arms and James quickly held onto both of them. Remus felt his eyes sting and could hear sniffles echoing around him as the small family was finally reunited. Kinglsey Shacklebolt came jogging up to the family and held his hand out to Harry.

"We all owe you for your bravery, Harry…Let's get the injured and dead to St. Mungo's. Remus, let me help you. Mr. Weasley, if you'll help levitate Miss Granger, we'll transport her to the hospital." Arthur Weasley came up beside Kinglsey and gently levitated Hermione off the rubble and out of Remus's arms as Kingsley helped him stand before apparating to St. Mungo's.


	18. Chapter 17 Healing and Repairing

**Chapter 17** – **Healing and Repairing**

Hermione leaned heavily on the cane as she walked through the trees. She carefully avoided tripping over the roots that stuck up from the ground of the forbidden forest as she walked further in to the darkened area. She stopped to lean against a tree and catch her breath, her leg pained her more than she thought it would. Most of her injuries had been decently quick to heal thanks to the Medi-Witches at St Mungo's and after them forcing her to stay for almost a week, her injuries were almost completely healed. Her arm, wrist, and fingers were healed and the internal damage done by some of the spells she had been hit by had almost completely healed.

It appeared the only thing that hadn't was her leg, hence the cane. Remus was almost in the same boat, using a cane to walk. The couple were having to take close to ten potions a day each for almost two full weeks, which was luckily almost over. Hermoione pushed herself off the tree and forced herself to keep walking deeper in to the forest. She'd gotten tired of being fussed over all week. First from the nurses, then the Weasleys, and of course Remus. She didn't mind him fussing over so much, they were taking care of each other. Everyone else had been grating on her nerves though. She frowned and slowly sat down on a large root. The fresh air and the breeze was comforting to the young woman, who had spent the last week and a half inside a hospital or the Burrow.

'_Poor Remus_…' she thought as she remembered she had left him there to deal with the Weasley's alone. Hermione had originally left to see if repairs had started on the old school and to see if she could help, but everyone was taking the time off to heal and celebrate. Not that she blamed them of course, she would celebrate too if she could. She wondered how, after all the evil and torture everyone had been through, they were all able to sleep at night and celebrate in the morning. After the lives lost-Moody, Tonks, and countless of others-how were people able to act like nothing had happened. The only person who really seemed affected by their deaths was George. He'd lost his other half…Yet Molly somehow managed a smile everyday and Andromeda, Nymphadora's mother, smiled and celebrated with everyone all the same.

Yet, here sat Hermione Granger, someone who had been able to keep her parents and close friends and fiancee safe and alive, being tortured with the very idea of sleep. Everytime she blinked she half expected to open her eyes to Nagini striking her or Remus down, Bellatrix to begin torturing her again, Fenrir Greyback torturing, biting, and killing her, or worse Voldemort killing Remus and leaving her alone in the world. Hermione bent down and picked up a rock in front of her and stared at it curiously. It was small, smooth, and black. She turned it over to inspect it many times before deciding to just throw it to rid of _some_ of her pent up energy.

"It's natural to feel this way, Hermione…" Hermione spun and froze when she saw Sirius standing behind her smiling sadly.

"What? I…I don't understand…" Sirius raised an eyebrow at her amused and gestured to the stone in her hands. Realization dawned on her and she looked at the small stone in wonder. '_The Resurrection Stone…_' she stared at it in wonder for a moment before turning back to Sirius, who sat beside her on the root. She couldn't feel any body heat from him and became sad.

"Sirius…I miss you…"

"I miss you two, Mione," he replied with a sigh. "You know what I'm going to say right? That your friends and family never really leave you…" She gave a small chuckle and pointed at her breast, above her heart.

"Right…you're always right here…"

"For some reason, it sounds lecherous when it comes from you," Sirius said with a laugh and Hermione joined him for a moment before her leg and abdomen hurt. Sirius's laughter died down at her grimace and cough and he watched her for a moment.

"You almost joined me, Hermione…you and Remus both. While it would have been great to have my friends with me, it wasn't your time…I was scared for you…" Hermione looked at him sadly and tried to muster a smile.

"How do they do it, Sirius? How is it Molly, Arthur, and Andromeda can get up in the mornings after losing a child? Andromeda lost her only child, yet she acts like Tonks never existed….They smile, they sleep…I can't seem to do either one and I didn't lose anyone as close to me as Fred and Tonks were to them…" Hermione looked at her feet glumly, "I couldn't imagine the pain of losing a child…"

" I'm not really sure what I can say on this, Hermione. I suppose Molly and Andromeda know that they have wonderful friends and family to help support them. Don't mistake their smiles for ignoring the memories of their children. That kind of loss may never heal. One thing that you have been through that neither of them were was the torture. You have vivid memories of being cut into and being pushed beyond your physical breaking point. You have physical and mental injuries that they don't have, but remember that you weren't the only one to experience such trauma. Remus and many others were tortured by Voldemort, so talk to them about this before it eats you away." Hermione gave a weak nod and Sirius stood.

"Sirius, wait! I'm not ready for you to leave me…"

"Remember, Lecherous Hermione," he said with a smirk, "I'm always with you. You, Remus, James, Lily, and Harry. I'm not going anywhere," Hermione nodded sadly.

"Sirius…is there really no way to bring you back from the Veil?" Sirius looked at her pointedly.

"Hermione, I'm not in the Veil. I was dead before I entered it with the killing curse my lovely cousin Bella sent me…My soul is at peace," he said with a smile. His eyes held their youthful gleam and Hermione realized that he didn't have the darkened look in his eyes like he did before he died. The terrors of Azkaban were no longer haunting the man and Hermione smiled. "You should go back, Hermione. Remus could use you near him. He lost you once and he almost lost you again, permanently though…He's scared he'll wake up and you'll be the next body he'll have to bury. Give everyone my love. And name one of your children after me!" He said with a laugh and Hermione laughed and wiped a stray tear off he face. She tossed the Resurrection Stone up in to the air, caught it, and flun it as hard as she could in to the Forbidden Forest.

With a _pop!_ Hermione disapparated and landed in the field near the Burrow. She walked slowly back to the house and went inside to find her fiancee. She stepped slowly in to the room they were both sharing and she smiled when she saw him sleeping. The potions made both of them really sleepy and they had spent much of the last week and a half asleep in their room. Molly had argued with the idea of them sharing a room since they weren't married, but after the third night of one of them sneaking to the other's room to sleep, she left them alone. Which was a good thing since both of them had been having frequent nightmares.

Hermione quietly put her cane on the floor and slowly lowered herself on to the bed. She let out a squeak in surprise when one of Remus's arms shot out and pulled her closer. She winced slightly and readjusted so that she could lay down next to him.

"Hey you," he mumbled sleepily.

"Hi you," she replied with a yawn.

"You haven't taken your second and third potion for the day…You need to do that, Love…" Hermione gave a frustrated "ugh" and sat up to down the two bottles before quickly laying back down in Remus's arms.

"Remus…I wanna go back to our home…" Remus tensed slightly and Hermione looked into his tired eyes in concern.

"It is still standing isn't it?"

"I'm…I'm not too certain…"

"Well then when we're healed, let's go find out!" Remus smiled into Hermione's hair at her stubbornness and kissed her forehead before sleep claimed them.

A few days later found Remus and Hermione outside their old cottage they had used to live in together. Remus had kept the cottage, but never stayed in it after Hermione had gone back to her own time. Hermione stared at the small house and how it had fallen apart. Remus felt ashamed with himself; he had let the cobbled walk way wear down and holes littered a majority of the path. The paint was peeling and the house no longer held the love and warmth it used to. The inside was the worst.

Remus kept his head hung low as she took in the torn furniture, the dusty and dirty floors. The paint on the walls was peeling and faded and there were some holes in the wall where he had vented his anger at her disappearance. He was afraid she'd be mad at him for letting their home get this way, but she didn't. Hermione moved the furniture of the living room to the walls leaving the center of the floor open and she turned on the muggle radio on the counter and pulled him to dance with her. The song that had been playing ended and the two stared at each other for a moment before the next song started. Hermione couldn't help but feel that the words hit a little too close to home.

"_We didn't care if people stared,_

_We'd make out in a crowd somewhere._

_Somebody'd tell us to get a room_

_It's hard to believe that was me and you.  
>Now we keep saying that we're okay<em>

_But I don't want to settle for good, not great_

_I miss the way that it felt back then_

_I wanna feel that way again.  
>Been so long, bet you forget<em>

_The way I used to kiss your neck."_

Hermione couldn't hide her shock as Remus sang the words along with the song in her ear. She didn't know he knew muggle songs. She had sighed happily and placed her head on his shoulder and sang her part. _"Remind me, remind me." _

Remus looked at her, his eyes lighting with love and lust. He quickly lowered his lips to hers and the walk from the living to their bedroom had been a blur to the couple. Their clothes and shoes littered the hallway behind them and the love they made was the most intense they could recall. They spent most of the next day in bed re-exploring each other's body and recovering from their romping. The next day, however, Hermione woke up early and began returning their home to its former glory. When Remus woke up, he felt irritated that she had let him sleep instead of waking him to help her. The irritation had quickly disappeared as she began swaying and singing to the music as she repainted and cleaned.

**A/N: The song mentioned is "Remind Me" by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood.**


	19. Chapter 18 Happiness and Love

**A/N: I had a mistake on Ginny's name in this chapter and after getting a few reviews about it, I finally corrected it. Thank you for pointing it out everyone! **

**Chapter 18 – Happiness and Love**

_**(A year later)**_

"Oh, what about this dress, Hermione?" Hermione, who was happily gazing at a long and modest white dress, was suddenly pulled two rows over to a short, knee length wedding dress by one of her two very enthusiastic bridesmaids. Ginny pulled the dress out further for Hermione to look over the deep neck line and bare back but when she saw Hermione's nose wrinkle she huffed and put it back.

"I want to stick with the traditional length, Gin, and I don't want to look like some…lot lizard…as I go down the aisle…" Hermione said with a sigh. Ginny looked at her confused and Hermione frowned, "forget it, Ginerva Weasley. I don't want to look too…sexy or revealing as I go down the aisle. Mum and dad would freak out and say I looked inappropriate if I even tried it. Traditional, okay? Strapless…white, maybe some color…and not too expensive! I'm having two weddings, you know? Other people can pull off the short dress look on their special day; I don't think I could…"

"You could definitely pull it off, Hermione! You don't have any scars left from the war that I know about so why hide behind all those layers? And two weddings at two different locations and close to the same time! Honestly, why?" Ginny huffed, doing her best to ignore the use of her full name. She continued browsing through the muggle dresses, her eyes lighting up at each dress she saw. Hermione could tell she was anxious for her own wedding to Harry and smiled.

"My mum and dad want a wedding for their families, Remus would like a…" Hermione lowered her voice, "a wizarding wedding for all of our friends, although he said it was really up to me. So, we're doing a short muggle wedding and reception in the morning and the main event will be the magical wedding and reception that night. I have a dress for the morning wedding; I want a different one for the evening. Yes, both in muggle styles. Remus already has his tux for the day; he is actually just using James's from when he married Lily. Hard to believe they're the same size. I could have sworn Remus was a bit broader in the shoulders than James…" Hermione stopped mumbling to herself as she pulled out a dress. Ginny stood beside her and the two girls fell silent as their eyes took in the beautiful dress on their hanger.

"Well, go try it on!" Hermione looked up and saw Lily's smile and quickly nodded before rushing off to the dressing room with the dress. With Ginny's help, she quickly got in the dress and stepped out for her mum and Lily to see.

"Oh, Hermione! It's beautiful…" Hermione looked at her mum and father and couldn't stop the grin on her face. Her mum began to cry while her father and Lily did their best to blink the tears away. Hermione looked back at herself in the mirror and nodded. The sweetheart neckline and tight bodice fit her like a glove before flaring out at her hips and leaving a long train behind her. The crisscrossing of fabric and beading across the top of the dress was very flattering. This was her wedding dress and she couldn't have found it at a better time. It didn't need any alterations and her wedding was a month away, so it worked out perfectly.

She eyed the price tag and sighed. It was out of her price range…but she had just gotten her N.E.W.T.S results in and had of course exceeded expectations on all of them. She gave a huff in frustration that neither Harry nor Ron had gone back to Hogwarts to get their N.E.W.T.S. with her. She shook her head and refocused on her dilemma. With a little budgeting from her saved money and her new pay from the Ministry job she had just gotten in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, she could have it paid off in a few weeks, just in time for the wedding. It cut her close, but at least she'd have it in time.

After changing back into her jeans and shirt, she met her mum and Lily at the register to put the deposit down. The clerk looked at her in surprise.

"It's been paid for, Miss Granger," Hermione looked at the clerk in shock and then whipped around to Lily, her father, and her mother, who all quickly feigned innocence.

"Mum!"

"I'm your mother, Hermione! You haven't let me pay for anything else to do with your weddings…at least let your father and I buy one of your dresses!" Hermione opened her mouth to defy her mother but quickly snapped it shut at the look she was given. The small group quickly made their way to Hermione's parent's house to drop off the dress and her parents so that the three could go to lunch.

"So is Remus still going to teach at Hogwarts or are people throwing a fit about his 'furry little problem?'" Ginny asked as they sat at the booth in The Three Broomsticks. Hermione sighed and frowned.

"Unfortunately, people are still 'throwing a fit,' as you put it…McGonagall is standing firm though and refuses to accept his resignation, so he's staying on as a teacher again this year, and after I'm done with passing some things for S.P.E.W, I fully intend on making werewolf rights my next problem to tackle. Don't tell Remus…I want to surprise him...He truly loves that job…" Hermione smiled.

"So are you going to live at Hogwarts and floo to work at the Ministry? How will that work?" Ginny took a sip of her butterbeer and looked around the restaurant for the remaining members of their group who hadn't shown up yet.

"No, actually. McGonagall has approved for Remus to live at our house we've had. He'll floo in to Hogwarts in the morning, I'll floo to the Ministry and then we'll floo home. It's a little more work but it'll be better this way. He can stay home for the full moon and recover while Harry substitutes his classes; we've already worked that out with your fiancée. He was, of course, more than happy to help out," Hermione smiled brightly as the door to the restaurant opened and James, Harry, and Remus walked in. The girls made room for their respective man to sit next to them. Remus gave Hermione a quick kiss as he sat beside her.

"How was shopping? A success, I take it?"

"Of course!" Hermione gave a chuckle at Ginny's excited reply to Remus's question.

"Getting cold feet yet, Moony? You've got a month left to wait!" James said with a laugh. Remus shook his head and laughed.

"It can't get here soon enough, Prongs…" Remus replied and Hermione smiled before squeezing his hand. The three couples all sat and enjoyed lunch with many jokes and much laughter and when everyone began to leave to go home, Hermione and Remus held on to each other and apparated to their home.

Remus and Hermione got to their house and smiled at the sight of it. It had come back to life in their eyes, pouring love and warmth out of its windows and they both sighed to see their hard work had paid off. Remus quickly picked Hermione up bridal style and smiled at her as she laughed.

"In less than a month, I get to do this for real…"

"Not getting scared, love?"

"Never," he replied with a smile. He gave her a quick peck on the lips, opened the door wordlessly, and carried her over the threshold.

That night the two lay in bed, sleeping peacefully. No nightmares of what had happened a year ago. Smiles graced both faces as they held on to each other, ready for their future together.


	20. Chapter 19 Finally a Wedding!

**Chapter 19 – Finally a Wedding!**

The month till the wedding(s) flew by quickly, much to Remus's happiness and he woke up bright and early on their wedding day to see Hermione was already gone. His boutonnière lay on her pillow with a note in her neat handwriting.

"_Today, I become Mrs. Hermione Lupin. I am so excited. I can't wait to marry you. I love you, Moony."_

Remus smiled brightly and quickly showered to prepare for the day ahead of him. The muggle wedding was in three hours and he quickly flooed to the Potter house, where it was chaotic.

"I'm nervous for you, Moony! How the hell are you so calm? I was a mess my wedding day! I'm a mess for your wedding day! Freak out, Moony! You're far to calm! What's with…" James was pacing in his spare tux in the side room of the church while Remus laughed before interrupting him.

"I'm not nervous, Prongs. At all, it's surprising…will you please calm down?" James sat down abruptly, missing the chair and falling to the floor in a heap of curse words. Remus laughed more while James just glared at him. A knock on the door startled both men and both sighed when Lily and Harry popped their heads in.

"Ready, Moony? It's time. She looks gorgeous," Harry said with a smile. It had been killing Remus to not know what she looked like. Lily hugged her son, James, and then Remus. She gave him a quick "Congrats" and took off down the hall to Hermione's changing room. The three men all left their room and headed to the chapel, where Hermione's family all sat gathered and chatting anxiously.

The music started and Remus felt the nerves hit as the doors opened and Ginny walked in. Her red hair was placed in a low bun at the base of her head and the dark blue dress stood out beautifully against her fair skin and red hair. Harry gave a happy sigh at the sight of her and Remus chuckled nervously at the young man's reaction. Lily came in next, her hair in a French braid. James smiled brightly at his wife and she smiled back at him. Remus felt like he could die as Hermione and her father began their walk down the aisle. The dress she had chosen for the muggle wedding was stunning with a pale sash tied around her waist. Remus found he couldn't put a single thought together in his head and it was James and Harry's turn to chuckle at the man.

Hermione had her hair up in a loose bun, leaving tendrils of curls hanging and her smile…Remus smiled nervously back at her. Remus took her hands in his shaking ones and she smiled at his nerves.

"Nervous, love?"

"All of a sudden…don't tell James though…"

"I won't," Hermione said with a chuckle.

"I can hear you two…" James interrupted and everyone laughed. The priest took their rings and "blessed" them. Hermione rolled her eyes at Remus when her mother began to cry and he smiled at her.

"Repeat after me please, I Remus John Lupin,"

"I, Remus John Lupin…"

"Take you, Hermione Jean Granger, to be my lawfully wedded wife…"

"Take you, Hermione Jean Granger, to be my lawfully wedded wife…" Remus met Hermione's chocolate eyes and felt his nerves disappear when she smiled her loving smile at him.

"…to have and to hold you, to honor you, to treasure you, to be at your side in sorrow and in joy, in the good times and in the bad, and to love and cherish you always. I promise you this from my heart, for all the days of my life…." Remus sighed in relief as he finished his vows and put the ring on her finger.

"I didn't mess it up…" He chuckled and Hermione let out a small laugh.

"Good job, Moony…Let's see if she'll be as lucky as you…" James said and the room filled with laughter.

"I won't mess it up, James…" Hermione said with her head high.

"Repeat after me, Hermione…I, Hermione Jean Granger…"

"I, Hermione Jean Granger…take you, Remus John Lupin…"

"To be my lawfully wedded husband…"

"To be my waffle-y wedded hus...ah shit…" Hermione turned bright red and covered her mouth at her curse. Remus started cracking up and the rest of the room followed, although a few "Hermione Jean Granger! Watch your mouth!" rang up through the laughter.

"I KNEW she'd mess it up!" James said between laughter. Hermione and Remus were both doubled over in their laughter. When the laughter died down, Hermione fanned her face and chuckled.

"Sorry, I'm hungry for some waffles…" the room burst into laughter again. It took quite a while for the laughter to die down but once it did, Hermione was able to finish her vows without another problem. The rest of the muggle wedding and reception went without a hitch and the next thing Remus knew, he was dancing with Hermione in a different dress, surrounded by the Weasley's, Ministry worker friends of Hermione's, Order Members, and Hogwarts students in the Great Hall of the ancient school.

The music playing was a combination of muggle music and Wizarding bands, but the songs weren't registering in his mind as he watched Harry twirling Hermione around the dance floor, rather clumsily too, but neither seemed to mind. Their laughter echoed around the room, which was saying something with how loud everyone else was being. Remus was suddenly pulled to the dance floor by Lily and the two began dancing to a faster muggle song.

"I'm so happy for you, Remus," Lily said brightly, "you deserve this more than anyone…" Remus smiled and nodded, his heart feeling at peace for the first time in several years.


	21. Chapter 20 The End

**Chapter 20** – Happy Endings

Remus sighed in content and stretched himself out on the couch. The routine was burnt into his brain and he loved every minute of their life. They would both wake up in each other's arms as the sun began to rise each morning, he would shower (sometimes they'd shower together, which was personally his _favorite_ way to start each day) while she made breakfast (wearing only one of his shirts, which usually made him want to ravish her all over again), they'd eat together and discuss anything and everything from books to work to their future (kids? He was ready if she was), he'd give her a quick kiss and floo to Hogwarts to prepare for the day ahead.

His departure would give Hermione almost an hour alone in the house, which she usually spent reading or working on cases for work, then she'd floo to work. They'd usually spend lunch together at Hogwarts unless she was really busy, then he'd visit her at the Ministry or eat alone, and he would get home first, like he was today. He'd have anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour on most days to himself, which he spent on the couch reading or grading at their table. Today she had owled saying she was running late due to a special case hearing and would be home as soon as she could be. Remus looked at the time over his book and sighed quietly.

She should be home anytime soon, or he hoped. She was already an hour late and he had started dinner not too long ago and was letting it slowly simmer in the kitchen. The fireplace suddenly boomed to life with green flames and out stepped a disheveled Hermione. He sat up immediately at the look on her face, she looked frustrated and tired.

"What happened, Love?"

"A very long, drawn out battle over my newest law…" she replied with a sigh. She gave him a quick smile and kissed him.

"It smells delicious in here! What are you cooking?"

"Some steak and potatoes…" Remus replied with a glance at the sky, even though he didn't need to. He could feel the full moon was approaching and he was craving steak from it. Hermione nodded slowly; she kept an eye on the lunar cycle just like he did. She gave him another smile and dumped her briefcase on the arm chair closest to the fire.

"So tell me about this law and what made the battle so difficult," Remus said as he stepped into the kitchen. Hermione followed behind him and Remus noticed the skip in her step.

"Well…it passed…" He looked at her and smiled brightly.

"That's fantastic! What was it about?"

"You," she replied simply as she picked up a potato from the pan and ate it, ignoring how hot it was.

"Me?" Remus couldn't keep the shock off his face and Hermione nodded with a smile.

"It's a werewolf protection act. Employers can no longer discriminate against people who turned into a dashingly adorable, furry puppy every month," she said with a smile. Remus glared at her description of werewolves and opened his mouth to argue that they weren't "adorable puppies" but really dangerous creatures. She frowned at him before continuing, "unfortunately, you have to be a registered werewolf through the Ministry and under careful administration of the Wolfsbane potion, which is now provided through the Ministry for free, but you'll get four days off of unpaid time for the full moon…" she watched him carefully as he turned the heat up on her steak and took his rare one out of the skillet. He frowned at her.

"Some werewolves will see this as a pity party, Hermione. They're going to feel that employers are begrudgingly giving them the job, they'll probably drop their pay to below minimum wage, and they're still going to treat my kind as 'low lifes' and kick us around…"

"The law will require employers to pay werewolves the same amount as everyone else. I'm trying to make our world a better one, Remus…" Hermione looked at the tiled kitchen floor and Remus sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"I know, I'm sorry, Love. I'm proud of what you have accomplished in such a short amount of time. You've helped so many magical creatures get the rights that they deserve…I may not have reacted very kindly to your news about the werewolf law and I apologize for it. I am grateful for what you stood up for today, thank you." Remus gave her a quick kiss and turned his attention back to dinner. Hermione grabbed a forkful of potatoes from the pan and quickly ate those, smiling at the look Remus gave her. "If you keep eating those, there won't be any left for when we actually get to sit and eat," he mumbled as he swatted her hand away from the pan when she went for more. Hermione giggled at him and wrapped her arms around him, placing her head in between his shoulder blades.

"You can act as cute and lovey dovey as you want, Mione, you aren't getting any more potatoes until your steak is done," Remus chuckled as he swatted her hand away from the potatoes again.

"I'm starving! Just take my steak off now; I'll eat it like it is!"

"Did you not eat lunch today? You didn't come by Hogwarts if you did…"

"No, unfortunately I was in court all day with different laws and case hearings…" Hermione sighed and gave up on getting more potatoes from him, "I'm going to go change really quickly, Mr. Party-Pooper," she gave a small laugh and walked to their bedroom. Remus shook his head and said a quick spell that heated up the steak more and quickly set the table. The couple ate their dinner in a heavy debate about her next law. Remus enjoyed helping her fine tune her cases and they most often times required research, something they both loved to do. After they finished eating, Hermione spelled the dishes to the sink to wash themselves and the couple began to work on their workloads in quiet.

"Darling…?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"Do you love how quiet our home is?" Remus looked at Hermione in confusion.

"Of course I do…why do you ask?"

"Does it ever feel…too quiet?" Hermione wasn't looking up to meet Remus's eyes and this confused him more. He thought to himself as he looked around their home.

"I suppose sometimes it can be…again, why do you ask?"

"No reason…just wanted to hear your sexy voice," Hermione gave him a seductive smile and he winked at her. He had a feeling that wasn't entirely the truth but he left it alone for now, with full intentions of asking her again when they were preparing for bed.

"Love…" Remus smiled as he looked up from the essay he was grading as Hermione spoke again.

"Yes, Beautiful…"

"Kingsley, I mean the Minister has asked me about a different job…" Remus leaned back in his chair with a smile.

"What job is that, Hermione?"

"He asked if I would take over as head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement…I'd be Harry and Ron's boss…" Remus's eyes felt like they were going to fall out of his skull in shock.

"That's great, Hermione! …Are you going to take the job?"

"Well, yes…but I have a dilemma first, Remus…I've discussed it thoroughly with Kingsley and I think we have a plan," Hermione said as she scratched out a chunk of her law and made edits to the side.

"A dilemma? What kind of dilemma?" Hermione looked at him in shock for a moment before smiling.

"Moony hasn't told you yet?"

"Told me what?" Remus was beginning to get irritated with all this beating around the bush she was doing. Hermione stood and began pacing in front of him and his irritation only grew. It turned to concern when she covered her mouth with her hand and ran out of the room and to the bathroom. He quickly followed and found her vomiting dinner in the toilet. He held her hair and rubbed her back and he could hear the werewolf in his mind saying that he knew all along, but wouldn't tell Remus _what_ he knew. After a few moments, Hermione leaned back and flushed the toilet.

"Are you getting sick, Love?" she nodded slowly.

"Alright, let's get you cleaned up and into bed then," he helped her stand and, while she brushed her teeth and rinsed out her mouth, he went and prepared the bed for her to lie in. He lay down beside her and held her close and the two fell asleep like that. He woke to the sound of her vomiting again in the morning and felt bad when he had to leave and she was in there again.

"I'll be fine, Love, go on to Hogwarts. I'm just going to owl Kingsley that I won't be in today and I'll sleep this off," Remus nodded with a frown and kissed her forehead and left flooed to the school.

He had never wanted a day of work to go by faster in his life. He rushed through his lectures and even let his last class out extremely early so that he could return home to Hermione to check on her. When he stepped through the fire place of his home, he was greeted with a pale and tired looking wife lying on the couch in front of him.

"How are you feeling?" He asked as he knelt beside her. She smiled sleepily at him.

"Better. I have a favor to ask, Remus, if you don't mind…"

"Anything, Beautiful, what is it?"

"Can you hold out your wand?" Remus pulled his wand out of his robes and looked at her curiously. She pulled the wand closer to her and pointed it right at her, "this isn't going to hurt me at all, okay. Trust me when I say that. It's going to tell us what's making me so sick…" Remus looked at her in concern and doubt and she smiled. "Just say '_lupus puerum_' please…"

"_Lupus puerum_…" Remus's wand stood stock still for a moment before glowing a blue light as little pieces of blue confetti spewed from the end. Hermione chuckled and looked at Remus's face. He was beyond confused and looked at Hermione with an eyebrow raised.

"I got the same result. Now we won't know for sure until the end but I'm pretty sure this is accurate…"

"Hermione, I love you with all my heart….but I cannot even begin to describe how infuriating it is for me right now that I have no clue what is going on…" Remus stared at his wand as it continued to glow and shoot confetti, and now small fireworks, out of the end. Hermione smiled brightly and sat up.

"I didn't want to tell you until I perfected that spell…since we're the first to use it, there is some small doubt to how truthful it is but Remus…Love…that spell detects, or should detect, if an unborn child will be a Lycanthrope. Remus, I'm pregnant with a perfectly healthy baby boy…" Remus sat still beside her for a moment as the information processed.

"Wait…I'm going to…I'm going to be a father?"

"Yes. Hence all the questions last night…I was hoping you weren't too attached to our solitude and Kingsley said I could work from home as the pregnancy progressed…"

"How long have you known?"

"Since the last full moon…I sat with you in this living room, remember? Well, the wolf took over for a moment and he laid his head down on my stomach with a whine…I had had my suspicions, but that led me to go and get tested to make sure I was indeed pregnant…I had suspected that Moony would have told you or hinted at you…or something…" Remus frowned for a moment at his inner wolf before he broke into a smile and held Hermione to him.

"We're going to be parents! You have made me the happiest wolf in the world, Hermione!" Hermione stood up and the two giggled in their excitement as Remus picked her up and spun her around. He set her down and gave her a sharp look.

"Who else have you told?"

"Just Kingsley…I was hoping we could break the news to the Potter families and the Weasley's at the dinner this weekend." Remus let out a sigh and Hermione laughed, "I wouldn't tell our friends before telling you, Remus. I was going to tell you today regardless of the spell working or not…" Remus sighed happily as he fought against the flashbacks of three years ago when he had almost lost her to Greyback. It had been three years today since the war ended and Remus was excited. The memories were still there, the pain, sadness, and loss…but everyday was better because of the woman in his arms.

_**(Four years later)**_

Remus could feel something was wrong. Something was in the room with him and his wife and it startled him awake. He opened his blue eyes and jumped when he saw two small blue eyes staring from his spot next to his bed at him.

"Daddy…I can't sleep…I had a bad dream…" Remus smiled softly at the young boy in front of him. It didn't matter that Remus had the acute senses of a werewolf, his son Sirius John Lupin, was the sneakiest kid that lived. He pulled the boy up on to the bed and Hermione rolled over slowly to look at them sleepily. She smiled as their son crawled in to bed between her and her husband.

"I had a bad dream, mommy…" Sirius said with a sniff. Hermione ran her hand through his sand-colored hair and smiled.

"It was just a bad dream, baby…You're safe here…" Remus met her eyes and he reached over their son to put his hand on Hermione's growing stomach.

"Mummy, when is my sissy going to get here?" Sirius put his hand on her tummy as well but quickly pulled it back in fear when he felt a kick. Hermione chuckled softly and put her hand on Remus's.

"Soon, Sirius," she replied with a yawn.

_**(Seven Years Later)**_

"Mum, dad, hurry up! I want to find Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron!" Remus laughed as Sirius took off ahead of the couple on the platform 9 ¾ leaving Hermione to push his trolley. Remus swapped her places and pushed Sirius's trolley while Hermione held on to their daughter, Luna Dora, and their youngest son, Lysander James's hands. The couple saw Sirius talking to Albus Severus Potter and James Sirius Potter, Harry's two sons. Harry and Ginny saw them and waved them over. James and Lily stood behind the couple and Remus smiled brightly at his friends.

Hermione hugged her friends and their children tightly. Ron and Lavender joined them with their eldest son Hugo and their daughter Rose and the group became noisy very quickly. Remus watched his son, who was looking around confused.

"Why is everyone staring at us, dad?" Remus glanced around and noticed that everyone _was_ staring at them. He knew why, but it was something that he and Hermione hadn't discussed with their son yet. The Golden Trio had saved the world and had many fans because of it. Ron gave a snort and all the kids looked at him curiously.

"I'm a bit of a big deal, that's why," everyone laughed and their kids looked at them in confusion. Hermione looked behind her and saw Draco with his wife and son. The two smiled and nodded at each other before both began to check and make sure their children were all set for the train ride. A kid came running up to Sirius, Albus, and James II and he looked very excited.

"Are you aware that your parents are on chocolate frog cards?" The kid handed Sirius one of the cards and Hermione laughed at the shock on his face when he saw a picture of her on the card.

"Mum! You're not telling me something! Why are you on a chocolate frog card?" Sirius asked as he flashed the card around to the group.

"Because she's bloody brilliant," Harry called out and the group laughed again. Remus picked up Lysander as Hermione picked up Luna and the couple kissed before kissing Sirius goodbye and waving goodbye to him as the train rolled away. The group of friends all looked at each other for a moment.

"Well…who's ready for lunch?" Ron called out and the group laughed and made their way to James and Lily's house for a BBQ lunch.

**The End.**

**A/N: I intend to take a small break from writing so that I can get ahead in my classes again before starting my next one. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, set me as a story alert, favorite author, etc. I promise that I have more stories coming so don't give up on me!**

**Lupus purueum is Latin for Wolf Child – I couldn't think of anything better to use so just go with it.**

**2/11 - I had to edit this chapter again because I originally named the child John, not Sirius, and then changed it to Sirius and forgot to change it at the end of the chapter. My apologies!**


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